Gods Eye on His Israel

TO THE Religious, Judicious, and Ingenuous READER: For such should I desire all that read me to be; Religious, that willing to be informed of the truth; Judicious, that able, when held out, to discern it; Ingenuous, that ready, when convinced of it, to acknowledge it.

Or, Because this is matter rather of wish, then of hope, To any READER indifferently; Those especially of mine own Congregation, either untainted, or tainted with Antinomian opinions.

H Aving in the course of my ministry among mine own people delivered, and in conference with others elsewhere declared, my judgment, concerning a passage in Balaam's prophecies, much pressed by our Antinomian Teachers, for the proof of one of their principal Positions, concerning the present estate of justified persons, and God's sight of sin in them ; I have by divers of those, who thereby took notice of it, been since solicited, yea by some of them importuned, to explain it more fully, and to make it more public. Which motion, albeit I did for some space of time entertain with a deaf ear, as being one well-near spent, and too well conscious to myself, how unfit, at these years, and this weakness, (which might justly plead a discharge from such employments) to be drawn forth into the field, and engaged in matter of controversy, further then the safety and welfare of mine own flock might there in be concerned; yet for some considerations, which I shall not need here to relate, I have at length been induced to condescend to the desires of those, who have herein been so earnest with me. and this the rather, that I might thereby take occasion, to vindicate myself from some aspersions, which some of these men's followers have endeavored to fasten upon me; as if I had falsely and unfaithfully related their opinion, in the point especially, which they ground on that passage of Scripture here dealt with; whereby they affirm, that

God doth not, will not, cannot, in those times, see any sin in any of his justified children.

Which Position, albeit with much confidence they maintain, and with no less eagerness contend for, as hereafter shall be made to appear; yet when it is charged upon them, their disciples are wont to cry out and clamour, that they are belied, wrongfully traduced, and injuriously dealt with, as being charged with that, which they neither teach nor maintain. And indeed, to mere strangers, or even to some of their own followers, who being but novices yet in the school of these mysteries, may chance to boggle and startle somewhat at such assertions as these, they may peradventure refuse, (as your brokers for Popery are in the like case wont to do with some of their grosser points, as the worship of Images, and the like) to be acknown of that which yet they hold, or at least seem to hold, (for whether they can work their own hearts really to believe what in some things they say, may not unjustly be doubted) and, where they may be bolder and freer, stick not nakedly, without mask or veil, to propound, and peremptorily to avow and maintain as an undeniable truth of God, and a main principle of faith.

Nor is it any marvel, that they should thus do; since that, however truth, as we use to say, seeks no corners, wherein to shroud it self, in times of liberty especially, such as at present we live in; nor shunneth anything more, as being of nothing more afraid and ashamed then not to be seen, and to appear in her own native and naked shape ; yet error on the other side, as conscious to itself of its own unsoundness, is wont to seek lurking nooks, wherein to lie hid; and starting holes, whereat to slip out; and shifts and sleights, wherewith to disguise itself; shunneth nothing more then the light, and is most loath to be seen and appear in its own likeness. and when it is therefore pursued, that it may be attached and brought forth to light, it either beddeth itself with the Eel in the mud, or with the cuttle-fish, so discoloureth the waters about it, that men seem to have lost the sight of what they even now saw, and to be as if they wotted not what were become of that, which erewhiles they deemed themselves to have had, either clear in their eye, or fast in their hand.

This practice discovered itself over-sufficiently in those three grand patrons and ring-leaders of this faction, what time they were convented before the worthy Committee of the honorable house of Commons in the Star-chamber. Where being required, or requested rather, to deliver their opinion in divers points then propounded unto them, for the clearing of themselves and the doctrine taught by them, they sought at first by all mean • to decline giving any answer at all; and, being pressed upon it, when they could not well avoid it, the answer they gave was in such general, obscure and ambiguous terms conceived, as that they might seem to say somewhat to the point propounded, and yet conceal what their mind might be in the main matter intended.

My chief entendement therefore at present shall be, not so much to debate or discuss the points in controversy between us and them: (I shall leave that to those that have better abilities and more leisure: and the truth is, that in some particulars their assertions are so gross, that the very discovery by uncasing and devesting them of those veils & dressings wherewith their paterouns are wont to disguise them, is refutation sufficient:) but to make manifest and lay open only what it is that they maintain; that it may not be deemed, as their fautors and followers use to affirm, that in dealing with them, we fight but with shadows and spirits of our own raising, or shoot at a man of straw that ourselves have set up, or to hack and hew a post, which instead of an adversary, when we have none, we have made choice of, whereon to exercise our arms and our arms.

The question then is, what it is that these men maintain, concerning God's sight of sin in the faithful. which (to state aright the controversy, as it stands between them and us) is not either concerning the efficacy of justification in general; or concerning God's sight of sin generally in such as believe and are justified ; (that which would be observed, to discover the mere impertinency of a multitude of allegations, which out of orthodox authors concerning those points these men heap up to no purpose) but whether God do, or will, or can see sin in the same manner in persons so qualified and estated now, as in former times he did. In which question we maintain the affirmative, to wit, that God seeth sin in such as well now, as in former ages he did ; they are stiff for the negative, to wit, that albeit in former ages God did see and take notice of sin in such, yet in these days he doth not, he will not, he cannot so do.

That this is the true state of the controversy between us and them, may appear by a prolix Treatise of this argument, generally received, and highly esteemed with them, the book beareth this title.

The Honey-comb of free justification by Christ alone: collected out of the mere Authority • of Scripture, and common and unanimous consent of the faithful Interpreters and dispensers of God's mysteries upon the same; especially as they express the excellency of free Justification.

This is said to have been preached and delivered by John Eaton, while he lived, and was since his decease published in Print by Robert Lancaster: the same man that set out some Sermons of another, now, I hope, with the Lord; which yet, in regard of divers passages too much tending to the countenancing of some of these men's unsound assertions, it may well be wished, had rather died with the Autor, that so the errors, which had escaped him, though a pious person otherwise, might have rested, if it might be, with his remains.

The main subject of this book is to prove the point above-mentioned, to which purpose, that we may not mistake him, he maketh a distribution of believers or justified persons in regard of their estate in this behalf according to three distinct times; the time of the Law the time of John the Baptist, and the time of the Gospel: the first, glorious; the second, more glorious; the third, most glorious. And if it be demanded, wherein the difference of these degrees of glory in those several times consisted; he thus layeth it down.

The first time of the Law was glorious; because Jesus Christ was in it; and glorious things are spoken of the City of God that then was▪ yet Christ and those glorious things were veiled and greatly obscured with the bondage and terrors and legal government, not only of the ceremonial law, as the Papists hold, but also of the moral law, whereby sin was severely taken notice of, and also punished sharply in God's children.

The second time between the Law and the Gospel, to wit, the time of John the Baptist, continuing unto the death of Christ, was more glorious then the former; because in it the former legal severity, that then lay upon the Children of God, began now to slack and cease. For altho John laid open their sins, and the danger of them; yet we read not of any punishments inflicted on God's children. whereupon though Peters foul fault of denying and gross for swearing his Master, and other sins were taken notice of in this middle age, yet no punishments were inflicted upon them for the same.

The third time, the most glorious, is since Christ groaned out his blood and life upon the Cross, by which the sin itself, and guilt, and punishment are so utterly and infinitely abolished; that there is now no sin in the Church of God; and that God now sees no sin in us: and whosoever believeth not this point, (thereby robbing this third time of her glory, and Christ of this full revealed efficacy of his blood) is undoubtedly damned.

To the strengthening of this his fiction concerning this last period of time, he abuseth divers places of Luther, Calvin and other worthy Divines, who in all likelihood never once dreamed of this his fancy; (which I will not stand now to discuss;) those words of the C • eed, One holy Catholic Church ; (as if God's people before Christ's appearance in the flesh were not holy, as well as they that now live) and among other Scriptures, that of John he came to take away sin; and in him (that is, saith he, in his body the Church) is no sin. So that the main glory of the state of Christian men, or the believers of these times, he makes to consist in a freedom from God's sight of sin in them, and his being offended with them for it ; (as some other the fruit and effect of Christ's coming in the flesh, in a procurement of permission for all sorts of religions ) that though they now sin never so grievously, yet God is not so much as angry with them for any of their sins, much less doth he chastise any of them for the same, as in the first period of time he did: yea that he doth not so much as see it, much less take any notice of it, as he did yet in the second ▪ and his main conclusion therefore is, that God seeth now no sin at all in his justified children. I add, that, as he doth not, so he will not: for, God, saith he, seeth all things, saving that which he will not see, and which himself undertakes to abolish out of his sight, that he may not see. and yet further, that he cannot. for how can God see sin, where no sin is? as was before by him averred. and it is impossible, saith he, for us to hope that God should love us, till our sins are clean put out and abolished. and again, He that believeth that Christ hath taken away his sin, is as clean without sin as Christ himself.

Hence then it appeareth, that the matter in controversy, as before was said, between us and these men, is not, how far forth sin is removed or abolished in believers, or how far forth it is by justification abandoned, or in what sense God is said to see, or not see sin, or to t • ke notice of it, in believers and justified persons; but whether God do see, and take notice of, and chastise sin in such now, as in times past he did. and you see the point determined directly for the negative, that God doth not, will not cannot, see, or take notice of, any sin in any believer, much less chastise any such (albeit in former times he had wont so to do) for ought that now he doth amiss. in plainer terms, that though a believer fall never so foully, or live never so loosely, God doth not see it, nor take notice of it, nor is at all offended with him for the same. For example; suppose a Christian travelling into Turkey, and falling into the hands of Mahometan pirates, who by torture would enforce him to deny Christ and Christianity, if such an one, to escape torment and attain liberty, should with oaths and execrations deny Christ, and abjure his Christian profession ; that God would not so much as take any notice of it in him; albeit in Peter, when he offended in somewhat the like case, he did. again, that howsoever, when David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and to smother his sin and enjoy her, took away the life of her husband Uriah ; God beheld it, took notice of it, was displeased with him, and chastised him very sorely for it: yet in these days, if the like wickedness should by any believing persons be perpetrated, to wit, that a stranger should solicit a man's wife to uncleanness, and she admit him to her husbands bed in his absence, being either about public service, or private employments, abroad; and they should afterward both further complot together, to take away the life of her husband, that they might the more freely enjoy either other; God would not so much as once so see it, as to take any notice at all of such villainy; or be at all angry, either with the one, or the other (supposing them to be such as David was) for so doing; or ever so far forth call them to a reckoning, as to chastise either of them in the least degree, for the same. which doctrine, whether it be not such as removeth a main curb of restraint to keep men and women (in secret especially) from sin : and whether it be a lesson fit to be instilled into the minds and heads of young women, in the times especially of their husbands more then ordinary occasions of absence ; and whether they deal wisely and discreetly, or are not injurious to themselves, that in such case give entertainment to the teachers of such doctrine, such of them especially, if any such be, or shall be, as either are not, or have not been wholly free from some scandal themselves; I leave it to any sober-minded Christian to judge.

This then it is, that these men directly avouch, and with an high hand contend for, pressing it upon us, yea upon all persons, (as ye have heard) to be believed and received, under a peremptory penalty, of no less then everlasting damnation. And this because we contradict and oppose, averring on the other hand (for that is all that in this particular we maintain against them) that God doth see and take notice of, the sins, slips, and excesses of his Saints, as well in these days, as in times past, and doth oft chastise them, and that sharply also sometime, for the same; we are therefore by them branded with most opprobrious imputations, and loaded with the vilest aspersions that may be. which if you can endure with patience to hear, as we must bear, be pleased to consider with me a while, how the Honey-combs author hath behonyed us; and from him learn, what the usual dialect concerning us is among his disciples. In this manner then is he pleased to bedaub us with his honey, such as it is.

These men, saith he, though they be Protestants in name, and profess themselves utter enemies to Papists, yet shake hands with them in the main points of salvation. and, by reason • of their being in a dead faith, understanding not the doctrine of justification, but conceiving it after a carnal and human witted fashion; talking of what they hold, as men in a sheep, and running round, as blind horses in a mill; and with Nicodemus accounting the deep things of God absurd; they nullify free justification, and make it as good as nothing. for they have as much faith as an Ox or an Ass; believing nothing but what they see and feel; following merely their present sense, as a beast: and stumbling at this block of their sight, sense and feeling, they break the neck of their faith, and so endanger to break the neck of their souls. for by breaking the neck of their faith, they make it a dead faith, good for nothing, neither to glorify God, nor to save their souls. thus they make God no God; but make reason, sense, and feeling their God. for prattling idly and talking by the light of nature, of God's power and presence, and all-seeing and all-searching nature, after a Gentilish and heathenish manner; to the frustrating of his word and promises; and seeming to stand for and defend the same; by cavils and allegations, Heathenish, and Gentilish, and Papistical; yea beastly, ungodly and blasphemous; breathing out nothing but unbelief; which, as a blind bayard, goeth about to make God blind, that he cannot see his own work wrought upon his children; and like a bold Betteresse, maketh God to her self impotent, blind, and a liar; they reject faith, dishonor God, rob him of his power, spoil him of his truth, find him no more our God, then the Gentiles and Heathen did; and seeming to glorify him, rob him of the glory of his God-head: making him impotent in his power, false in his word and promises, blind, that he cannot see his own and his Sons proper work in and upon us; and so by unbelief abolish to themselves the whole God-head.

Again, lisping in speech, and limping in practice, yea halting down-right in the doctrine of free justification, and sliding back to the legal teaching of the Old Testament, in promising rewards to the followers of righteousness, and threatening punishment to transgressors; they sow up▪ again the veil, that was rent from the top to the botome, and shut up the holy of holies. and by mingling the Law and the Gospel together, as if one should mingle black and white, they mar both; and not only blemish and darken the doctrine of grace, but take away Christ, and all his benefits; secretly undermine, and utterly overthrow the Gospel, and all the benefits of it; deny the nature and essence of faith, deny baptism, deny Christ, deny his satisfaction; and by perverting the Gospel of Christ, become of preachers of the Gospel, Ministers and Apostles of the Devil. and by making a miscilan and mixture of the Law and the Gospel, they preach neither good Law, nor good Gospel, but a miscilan and marring of both; and thereby make miscilan Christians, that is, mere hypocrites▪ for they expel the filial, and bring in a servile fear; and make God's children serve him with eye • service, which in them is abominable; and so nourish hypocrisy, but greatly hinder true sanctification, true repentance, and holy walking, by legal threats and rewards; which cause but a constrained hireling sanctity, which is hypocritical legal holiness; or else cause people to run, though more cautiously, yet the faster, into sin.

Furthermore, they bring forth a rod, to whip, if she tread her foot a little awry, the bride in her marriage attire, the Queen in her royal robes, and pulling the wedding garments off, over the brides head; and putting on her a mourning garment of blows: stripping the Queen and bride, & making her stand naked, to be whipt with rods of crosses & afflictions, at her marriage feast; they frustrate and make void the wedding garment of Christ's righteousness; which hereby is made one, in regard of the being of sin itself, and God's sight of sin in his, with the hypocrisy and security of the wicked: and God's covering is made all one with man's covering; nay rather with the deceitful covering which the wicked make to themselves: and the justified in regard of God's seeing the being of sin in them, are made all one with the reprobate and wicked. everyone of which points is horrible blasphemy against Christ and his righteousness.

Besides that, hereby they rob God of the glory of his justice, and infinite hatred of the least sin: which being the image of the Devil, is a thousand times more filthy and loathsome in God's sight, then the loathsomest dung can be to the eyes of a Prince; and being horrible poison of hell, so poisoneth us, and all our walking of sanctification, that (as Christ saith) it defileth all unto damnation: yea is such a plague-sore of our soul, as maketh us unable to do any spiritual duty. and as therefore the justified must needs be, not only more foul and loathsome, then any spider or toad full of loathsome poison, or any swine defiled over head and ears with mire, in our sight, but even as foul as ugly Devils in God's sight, if he see any sin in us; and they are to be condemned of filthy hypocrisy, that dare press into God's presence with the least sin in them and upon them: so God, being the fountain of justice and righteousness, cannot but detest and abhor us, as long as he sees us in our sins; nor will the holy Ghost dwell in such foul hogsties; nor will Christ knit such ugly members, much less marry such a foul sow, and such filthy swine, to himself; nor will God acknowledge, much less adopt for his sons and daughters, those whom he seeth full of the image of the Devil. for if God see any one sin in them, seeing it is sin itself, and nothing else but sin, it is sufficient to defile them so in God's sight.

Lastly, they paint out God like an angry father, ever seeing sin in us, and ever standing with a rod or staff in his hand, lifted up over our heads, with which by reason that he ever seeth some fault and blame in us, he is ever ready, if not to strike us down, yet to crack our crowns, and sorely to whip us, and to becudgel us thoroughly.

Thus you see, with what language the first founder of this faction among us, salutes all those, and what liveries he b • stowes on them, that either oppose him, or dissent from him in this his groundless and godless conceit. which to requite, and that much more deservedly, with the like, though it would be a matter of no great difficulty, yet I shall willingly forbear: only desiring the intelligent Reader seriously to weigh, and advisedly to deem of, these ensuing propositions.

1. Who they be that blind-fold God, and make him a blind God: they that say, he seeth sin, wheresoever, and in whomsoever it is; or that say, he doth not at all see it, nor can see it in some.

2. If God's covering of sin, do so utterly abolish all sight of any remains of corruption in those, whose sins are by God said so to be covered, how it came to pass, that in those former ages, God saw and took notice of sin and corruption in those, whose sins yet he is in these times said to have covered.

3. Whether of the two make men more conscientious of their ways ; they who teach and maintain, that God hath an eye on them, as well when they do evil, as when they do well; or those who say, that he hath no eye on them, when they do amiss, either to take notice of it, or to be displeased with them for it.

4. Whether this doctrine, that God seeth when men sin, and taketh notice of it, be a likely means to make men run out the faster into sin ; or the contrary teaching rather, whereby it is avowed, that he doth nothing less.

5. Whether the former doctrine and the teaching of it, when time was, did then nourish hypocrisy, and tended to the making of God's people, that then lived, mere hypocrites.

6 Whether David's setting God always before his face, and his persuasion that all his ways were in God's sight, did make him, or other of the faithful, that then lived, and were likewise so persuaded, either the more slack, or less sincere, in their service.

7. Whether any of the faithful in the time of the Old Testament, did ever paint out God like an angry father, standing always with a rod or staff in his hand over his children, ready, because he saw ever some fault or blame in them, therewith, if not to strike them down, yet to crack their crowns, and whip them sorely, or becudgel them thoroughly: and whether it was not a notorious calumny for any man to say they so did; albeit they did, and (by this Autors own grounds and grants ) might truly, teach herein then, the same that we now do.

8. Whether in the times of the Old Testament, there were no difference at all between persons justified, and the wicked and reprobate, in respect of sin itself, the being of it, and God's seeing of it, in them.

9. Whether God's covering of sin in those times, when he is acknowledged yet to have seen it, was all one with man's covering, or with the deceitful coverings that wicked men make to themselves: or the garment of Christ's righteousness, (which they also had a right to and a share in, as well as we now have) all one in that regard, with the security and hypocrisy of the wicked.

10. Whether the very being of the remainders of sin, that were in the believers, (though justified persons) of those times, and God's sight of the same in them, did utterly disable them unto the performance of all spiritual duty; defiled all their holy walkings, even unto damnation, made them as foul as Devils, so abominable in God's sight, as that without filthy hypocrisy they could not proffer any petition unto him, or press into his presence ; so vile and ugly in his eyes, that he could not but detest and abhor them; such hogsties, as that the holy Ghost would not dwell in them; such foul sows and filthy swine, as that Christ would not unite, much less mary them, to himself ; and so full of the Devils image, that God would not own them, much less adopt them for sons and daughters.

11. Whether the faithful in those times, when God saw, took notice of, and chastised sin in them, and they believed that he so did, found him no more their God, then the Gentiles and Heathen did.

12. Whether in those times, those who taught, that God saw sin in such, robbed God of the glory of his justice, and hatred of sin ▪ or, made him impotent in his power, false in his word, and blind, that he could not see his own and his sons proper work in and upon them; and so by unbelief abolished to themselves the whole God-head.

All which assertions concerning God himself, his Saints of former times, his covering of sin with them, his sight of sin in them, his detestation of them, and their dismal estate and condition in that regard, if it be most repugnant to God's word, yea no less then horrid blasphemy, for any man to aver; then are we, not only aquitted from those hideous imputations, that these men would fasten upon us, for affirming no more of the faithful and justified ones that now live, then themselves by evidence of truth, agreeably to God's word, are enforced to confess and acknowledge, concerning those faithful and justified ones, that lived in times past before Christ's appearing in the flesh; but the crime of blasphemy may also not unjustly be retorted upon them, whose positions do necessarily infer all that hath been said concerning those blessed Saints and faithful servants of God, who then believed in Christ as well as we now do, were justified by the same faith that we now are, and saved by the same grace that we partake in with them.

The result of all that hath hitherto been said then, is this.

1. That we wrong them not in that which we charge them to maintain, to wit, that God doth not now see, or take notice of any sin in any justified person, nor is at all displeased with him, much less doth at any time chastise him, for the s • me ; albeit that in his best Saints and children in times past he so did.

And 2. that they wrong us, in charging us with blasphemy and such horrid crimes, as following necessarily from that, which we maintain contrary to this their assertion ; when as the same may as justly be charged upon that, which themselves hold, concerning the faithful of former times, and on the Scriptures that hold out the same.

Now because it may be said, that this was indeed the opinion of Mr. Eaton while he lived: but that that opinion of his died with him.

It were to be wished indeed, that it had so done, but as by the late publishing of his discourse concerning it, the contrary appeareth; so for further satisfaction herein, I shall entreat the Reader, to consider and take notice of these ensuing Positions, which, with others of the like nature, at a public hearing before a Committee of the Honorable House of Commons in the Star-chamber, were by sufficient witnesses proved to have been delivered by three of the chief leaders of this faction among them, some in public, some in private, some of them in the Pulpit, and some by the Press.

1. That the moral Law i • of no use at all to a believer; no rule for him to walk, nor to examine his life, by. and that Christians are free from the mandatory power of it.

Whence (it may well be) proceeded those exclamations of one of them in the Pulpit, Away with the Law; away with the Law : and that horrid speech of his, The Law cuts off a man's legs, and then bids him walk.

2. That it is as possible for Christ himself to sin, as for a child of God to sin.

3. That a child of God need not, nay ought not to ask pardon for sin: and that it is no less then blasphemy for him so to do.

4. That God doth not chastise any of his children for sin: nor is it for the sins of God's people, that the Land is punished.

5. That if a man by the Spirit know himself to be in the state of grace, though he be drunk, or commit murder, God sees no sin in him.

6. That when Abraham denied his wife, and in outward appearance seemed to lie in his distrust, lying, dissembling, and equivocating, that his wife was his sister, even then truly all his thoughts, words, and deeds were perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely.

To which may be added that wholesome exhortation, then also averred, to have been delivered by one of them likewise in the pulpit, which might well pass for an use of the point, Let believers sin as fast as they will, there is a fountain open for them to wash in.

By these their assertions then it is evident enough, that as Mr. Eatons book is in great request and high esteem with them, so his doctrine is still constantly held and maintained by them.

As for Abraham's example, which to that purpose they abuse, being taken out of Mr. Eatons book, where it is verbatim so found; and he endeavoreth by this observation to add strength unto; to wit, that though men did reprove him, yet we read not that God took notice of any sin in him, nor did once rebuke him all his life, after his calling for any one sin.

1. I should demand, whether this be a good argument to prove, that God approved, or did not mislike, or take notice of, or was displeased with, any sinful act in any person, because he is not read to have reproved the party so offending for the same. For if so, we may consequently conclude the same of Noah's being drunk ; of Lots daughters making their father drunk to make way for their incest, and of their incestuous companying with him; of Jacob's deluding his father Isaac with a lie; of Rebekah his mothers putting him upon it; of Judah • lying (though upon a mistake) with his daughter in law Tamar, and of her disguising of herself to induce him thereunto; of Rubens defiling of his fathers bed ; of Bathshebaes yielding to David's adulterous desire ; of Joab's murder, first of Abner, and after of Amasa, &c. all which, though sinful acts and excesses, God is nowhere recorded to have rebuked them for, or to have reproved in them.

2. I demand, which of the three periods of time before-mentioned, Abraham's life is by these men referred unto. For if they will say, that he lived before the Law ; and that therefore it was then with him, as it is now with us.

1. Moses his example will herein control them, who lived also before the Law given in mount Sinai ; and yet did God so far forth see and take notice of sin in him, as that upon his hanging back, when he called him to go on his message to Pharaoh, he was very angry with him; and for the neglect of his child's circumcision, he was like to have slain him.

2. It will overthrow the main ground of their assertion ; to wit, that this privilege took not place, until Christ had groaned out his blood and life on the cross. Or, if they shall grant, that by virtue of his blood then shed it was formerly enjoyed, they shall by that grant again overthrow their own assertion, concerning those that lived after the delivery of the Law ; unless they will affirm, that the Law was given to abridge the virtue, and impeach the efficasy of Christ's blood.

3. Let it be observed, to what intent and purpose this of Abraham, and that also, with so many down-right terms of deep aggrevation, is produced; namely, to prove, that though a man now do, as they say he then did, dissemble, lie, and equivocate ; yea more then that, cheat and cozen those he deals with, swear and forswear, or worse then all this; yet if he be a believer, (as everyone almost is over-prone to believe himself to be, and they most many times, that have least cause so to do) or if by the Spirit he know himself to be in the state of grace ; (which too many presume of, upon the report and suggestion, not of God's never erring, but of their own corrupt and deceitful spirit ; but being granted that such they are, or may be) that then God doth not see, or hear, or regard, or take notice at all of what they do, or the less mislike them for so doing.

4. I desire to have it considered, whether according to these tenets, a man may not well expect honest and faithful dealing, rather at the hand of an heathen, holding at least a deity and a providence, or of a conscientious Papist, then at the hands of an Antinomian thus principled. For heathen men, so qualified as hath been said, have by the light of nature acknowledged and professed to believe, that God did see and take notice of whatsoever they did, or spake, yea or thought, and was offended with them when in ought of these they failed ; and even Papists also, by those grounds which they hold in common with us, as also the Christians of former ages, do here in accord with them. Whereas our Antinomians, you see, flatly deny, that God doth see or take notice of any evil, or failings in ought of theirs, (presuming them to be in the state of grace ) no, not of d • unkennesse or murder, much less of a fraud, of a lie. yea they stick not to say; and it followeth unavoidably indeed from their principles, that God is no more displeased with them, when they lie, then when they speak truth, (that which indeed, I believe, makes so many of them such notorious liars, as I have by experience myself found some, and by credible report heard others of them to be) no more when they be drunk, then when they keep themselves sober; no more when they commit adultery, then when in wedlock they live loyally.

Again, if it shall be said, that some of the above-mentioned assertions, may yet bear an orthodox sense. as indeed they did endeavor, when time was, by some qualifications to allay the horridnesse of some of them. for, who can deny, may some say, but that there is a fountain ready open for sinners to wash in, though they have never so oft sinned, upon their repentance? and for a believer, as one of them sought to salve it, to ask forgiveness of his sin, as if Christ had not made full satisfaction to God for it, were a point of much impiety. and further, that in divers sound authors of former ages some such speeches are found, as these men now use to press, in the venting and vindicating of their positions.

To all this I answer, 1. that the Apostle by precept enjoineth Timothy, to keep a form of wholesome, as well words, as doctrines. as also by his own practice he admonisheth us to speak the words as well of sobriety, as of truth. but these their forms are sure far from sobriety ; and from wholsomnesse as far.

2. That these men deal with orthodox Authors, I cannot say, as flies, that leave the whole hide where it is whole & sound to seize on some sore or unsound part; (though prone enough, I doubt not, they would be so to do, if they could light on ought thus tainted in thē) because those writers were sound enough in those places, which these men, thereby to countenance their own unsound opinions, do abuse. and yet, I may well say, as flies, that are wont to slip away from the glass, where it is slick and smooth, but to fasten upon it, where they find any scratches in it. for they pass by those places in them, and those their speeches, where and wherein they plainly and familiarly deliver themselves and their mind, in terms most proper and suitable to the truth and nature of the doctrine they deal with; and pitch upon some high and harsh expressions, which carried in an hyperbolical strain, do sometime fall from them; the rather thereby to amuse silly people; who are prone most to admire, what they least understand ; and to beguile such, as are not able to distinguish between propriety of speech, and rhetorical, though sometime more emphatical, mere flourishes. where they might do well to remember, that it is a dangerous matter, as from typical, so from tropical speeches, hyperbolical especially, to raise points of doctrine, and to strain that to propriety, that is spoken by a figure. But herein they deal as the Papists do in some controversies between us and them; who to justify the invocation of Saints deceased, passing by, yea crossing out sometime, those clear places of the ancients, wherein they are most pregnant for invocation of God in Christ only, use to press us with those passages in their panegyricall discourses ; where they break forth into rhetorical compellations of the blessed spirits deceased, as they do sometime the like, of the senseless, yea and lifeless creatures ; and to make men believe that their late forged monster of transubstantiation is no novelty, but a doctrine held and believed in the ancient Church, letting slip the plain and pregnant speeches of the ancients to the contrary; which yet they cannot be ignorant of, being inserted some of them, even into the corps of their Canon-law ; fasten upon and urge against us, some sacramental, metonymicall and hyperbolical expressions, as in heat of affection, and eager pursuit of their matter, have slipped at sometimes from the lips, or dropt from the pens of those Worthies ; which yet divers of them (unless they will venture as far as Pope Nicolas, whom the gloss itself is ashamed of) in propriety of sense themselves dare not admit. where by the way, though a little out of the way, I cannot forbear in a word to intimate; how herein also these men imitate the patrons of Popery : for look what imputations they cast on us, because we refuse to receive contrary to the evidence of our sight and sense, the grounds of sound reason, and principles of Religion, that hideou • conceit of Christ's whole body comprehended in a little thin Wafer-cake, which they have now made an article of faith ; that we are mere carnal creatures, preferring sight and sense before faith ; that we make Christ a liar ; deny the truth of his Word, and the power of his deity ; the very self-same aspersions, as at large you have heard, full as soul, if not fouler, do these corrupters of the truth of God, bedew and bedaub us with, because we will not abandon sense, reason and religion, so as to believe that, which they press as a fundamental article of faith, to wit, that believers have no sin that God can see in them, though they see and feel it in themselves ; and that God cannot but abhor them, and refuse to own them, if he should espy but the least mote or spe • k of sin in them.

3. The scope and drift of these men (far different from theirs, whose speeches they make use of) would in these their expressions be observed. which is, (as by the main course of their teaching plainly appears) 1. To keep men from making conscience of any sin, in regard of God's sight of it in them: and so to take off from men's consciences all such kind of curb and restraint, as might thereby repress the remainders of corruption in the heart of a Christian.

2. To dissuade them, from being at all in that regard troubled, when they have been so overtaken; and from endeavoring by the practice of humiliation and renewed repentance, to make up again those breaches, that have been made between God and them by their sins ; and by persuading them that their sins have no hand in the procurement of the present calamities, to divert them from being humbled in that regard for any sins of their own; whatsoever they may be for the excesses of others. Which are such consequences, as those men never intended, but would have extremely abhorred, whose expressions and speeches, (as with divers passages of holy writ they likewise deal) contrary to their own minds and intents, they do wretchedly abuse. The Apostle telleth the Romans, that where sin had abounded there▪ grace did much more abound. but doth he therefore infer, Let men sin therefore as fast as they lust; the more they sin, the more shall God's grace abound in the abandoning of their sin? Nothing less. nay rather, having by way of preoccupation propounded, what some corrupt heart might hereupon have suggested, Shall we sin then the more, that grace may abound? with detestation he rejecteth it, and with an absit answereth it, God forbid ; as if he should say, Far be it from any Christian heart to entertain the least thought looking that way. and as far would it have been either from the Apostle, or from any of those, whose speeches these men cite and press concerning God's free grace and the power and efficacy of Christ's blood, for the taking away of sin, to have added upon their discourses of either subject, such an inference as this, Let Christian men therefore sin a • fast as they list, there is Christ's blood at hand ready to wash all away. Sure it is, let their intendment be herein what it will; as they remove hereby one main means of restraint from sin, God's sight of it in his, when they sin ; so they take away one main ground of sincere repentance, to wit, that godly sorrow and grief for sin, whereby men are grieved, because by their sins they have grieved God, and vexed his good Spirit. for, as we use to say, What the eye seeth not, the heart • ues not. nor can God be grieved, nor his Spirit vexed by us, with that, which he neither sees, nor takes notice of at all in us; nor can any man be grieved with the apprehension of that, which he believes not to be.

4. It is to be considered, that these their assertions thus grossly delivered, may, and do in likelihood pass fo • currant with many of their hearers and followers, these their qualifica • ions and modifications of them being concealed from them, and reserved to themselves. And herein also they deal just as our Popish teachers do in many points of their religion. For example; to gull the people, and draw money from them, they tell them, that through the Popes pardons they may have free and full remission of all their sins whatsoever, even that sin not excepted, which though the Frier in the Pulpit shamed not publicly to mention, I abhor to relate: whereas when they come to debate and dispute the point in the schools, they are by evidence of light enforced to confess. 1. that they cannot free from the fault itself: for that cannot be without infusion of grace. 2. nor from the guilt of any sin either mortal or venial : 3. nor from any naturally penalty, as sickness, death, or the like: 4. nor from any civil or ecclesiastical censure. but from what then? only from those pains which a man should have suffered in Purgatory for his venial sins, had he not made satisfaction for them, while he lived here. but while they dispute the point thus in the schools, the poor people mean while take for Gospel what in gross they tell them, that their sins are so blown away so soon as the Popes Bull bloweth upon them, that they shall never more hear of them, or be reckoned with for them. so in the matter of image-worship ; they teach the people to ado • e images, and the cruc • fix as Christ. and when for such doctrine and practice we charge idolatry upon them; they tender us a many distinctions to salve the matter withal; that they worship not the image itself simply, but that by it, whose image it is ; or if the image itself, yet not with the same, but with a lower degree of worship, then that wherewith they worship that whose image it is ; or if with the self-same worship, yet not properly, but improperly, as the image standeth in God's, or in Christ's stead, like an Embassador representing the person of his Sovereign, to receive for either the worship due to the Deity, or if properly, yet not by itself, but by accident, as a man conceives God or Christ invested with that image, and so worships it with the same act of worship, that he worships God or Christ with, as a man worships the royal robe, that the King wears, when he worships the King. mean while the common people not able to sound these subtleties (supposing, that being aright conceived and observed, they could free from idolatry ) are taught to practice, and encouraged to commit gross idolatry without fear; as they cannot but know, who thus mince out the matter in their scholastical, or rather sophistical, disputes. In like manner here, suppose we, that by such reserved qualifications (as these men are sometime enforced unto, when the points in controversy are pressed upon them) these assertions, some of them, could in some sense be maintained, as free from those horrid and even blasphemous tinctures, that they carry with them in the forehead ; yet being thus crudely and rudely propounded to many shallow headed people, either not at all acquainted with their nice distinctions, or not well able to understand them, they are by them swallowed without more ado, unto the poisoning of their souls ; being the rather prone to entertain them because tending to that, which the bent of man's nature is of itself over-strongly inclined unto.

Lastly, I desire that it may be advisedly weighed, what a wide gap may be broken up for the venting and spreading of all manner of strange fancies and impious assertions, to the poisoning and destroying of the souls of silly people, or such as are of themselves forward to embrace new upstart opinions and uncouth paradoxes, such as have not been formerly received, or heard; when though they sound pure blasphemy, as they are delivered, yet they shall go for sound and orthodox, because by the help of some concealed nice subtlety, they may be wrung and wrought into some such sense as is agreeable unto truth. For example; A child of God, saith one of these men, ought not to ask God forgiveness of his sins: yea it is blasphemy for him so to do. and how is this assertion salved from being itself blasphemous? why? it is blasphemy for him so to do, as if Christ had not made full satisfaction for it. for that were to deny the efficacy of Christ's death. Now I desire to have it considered whether by this his practice, I say not, any Popish, but any atheistical point, may not be divulged; and afterward by some such gloss as this, when it hath done much mischief, be salved up and excused, as containing nothing but what is sound and true. For may not a man, whose wit itcheth to set such novelties and impieties on foot, by the like reason, presume to aver, that it is blasphemy for a man to confess his sins to God. and then say he meant it, supposing thereby to acquaint God with that, which he was ignorant of before. for that were to deny God's omniscience. that, it is blasphemy to entreat God, to have compassion on his people ; or to make good his gracious promises to them. but his meaning is, presuming that he is not of himself ready and prone thereunto. for that were to question God's fatherly affection and disposition toward his people ; and his faithfulness in performance of his promises.

And, I beseech you, give me leave a little further to exercise your patience, by instancing but in one particular; the rather that thereby you may guess (judging of the whole piece by the list ) what manner of stuff it is, that these men are wont to vent in private, where they suppose none but their own present, none at least able to contradict or control them in what they deliver. That which I shall herein acquaint you with, is no other then hath been averred, both by the word, and under the hand, of a Reverend Divine of good note, who being present at a collation made by one of the parties before mentioned, but standing out of sight, both heard what was delivered, and took notes of what he heard. And I am therefore the bolder to make it more public, because I understand that a copy of the collation itself is abroad in the hands of his hearers, reported by them to be approved of by him, with a purpose, (as they give out) for the clearing of himself, to present it to the Honorable House of Commons.

The Scripture he handled was, John 1.9, 10. The world there spoken of, in which Christ is there said to have been ; and to illighten everyone that cometh into it, or, (as he adds) is within it ; he affirmeth to be the whole creation, Heaven, Earth, and Hell; yea all their creatures in their several divisions, spirits, devils, men, &c. and hence he concludes, that Jesus Christ is in every creature, in men, beasts, horses, dogs, everything. and that he gives light to everyone of them. not that Jesus Christ is every creature, but that he is in every creature; and every creature is light in him and by him. and that in this sense, as the world is round, so he knoweth no difference between good and bad; they have all one life and death, one joy and comfort. yea that he is persuaded (and he willeth them to mark what he saith) that that spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience (which the Apostle, I am sure, saith is the Devil) is the same spirit, that is in the Saints.

Now what sec • et shifts this man hath, or will be able, if occasion be, to produce, whereby to clear these and such like assertions, from being deemed blasphemous, I shall for the present leave to himself, whom it most concerneth, to consider. but how silly women, who admire this profound and mysterious discourse, as a principal Master • piece ; do apprehend them, and what fancies their brains may be thence possessed with, other men may guess as well as myself. Sure it is, that such expressions as these, either argue some monster, that these men go great with, or that they desire at least to fill people's heads with such monstrous notions, as may raise an admiration of them, as speaking new and strange things, such as others are not acquainted with, in the minds of the common sort; ready so to entertain such things, as neither they understand, nor those themselves that deliver, many times, know well what they would have in them. Mean while they are not likely to breed, either good blood, or good spirits in any, but to produce much corrupt matter, that may spread like a gangrene, if not speedily suppressed, (and indeed hath done too much already) to the perverting and subverting of the faith of not a few. which I wish those, that are in authority, advisedly to weigh, and effectually to take to heart; as having a strong obligation lying upon them, to have an eye as well to the vindication of God's honor, and the safety of the souls of his people, as to their civil society and bodily welfare.

But to return to our first and principal subject at present; a very sad and lamentable thing to me it seems, to see and consider, that after so long, so much light, people should be, either so dim-sighted, or so willfully blinded, that they should not be able to discern the vanity, folly, and impiety of such fantastical teachings, as would blindfold God to them, and keep not him from seeing, but them from the sight of him seeing their sins. It is recorded in Scripture as the impious speech, or imagination at least, of ungracious wretches, men abandoned to all manner of mischief, that God sees not, nor regrards, what they do. but that it should in these days be the conceit of those that profess themselves God's people, and of some of those among them, that would seem in a more special manner to draw near unto God, seemeth to me a dreadful prodigy, and direful presage of some further evil ready to break in upon us. For let it, I beseech you, be seriously and sadly considered, what a curb we cast off for the restraint of our corruption, which remaineth too much in the best, and unruly more then enough, even where it is best managed, and most over-ruled and mastered, when we expel and exile this persuasion of God's eye upon us, and of his angry eye, when we willfully give way unto evil. And let us take heed, how by entertaining such kind of thoughts we make ourselves like those foolish persons, who (as the Greek historian observeth) suppose themselves safe and secure enough, as if others could not see them, or discern what they do, when they have so shut their own eyes, that they cannot see themselves. Which fond and sottish affection, howsoever in little children, in regard of their natural simplicity, as also in the Ostrich and some other brute creatures in regard of an inbred stupidity, may be deemed more excusable; yet in men, who in regard of their years, should have more wi • then little children, in regard of their endowments, more understanding then brute beasts, that grave writer not undeservedly brandeth, as a mixture, or medley of badness and madness. Let us consider, what a foul blemish it is, not to man's nature only, but even to God • grace, when men endowed with God's image by nature in part, (for the remains of it are found even in the reprobate, and in the very damned spirits themselves) and professing▪ to have it further by grace renewed and repaired in them, should by their own willful depravation, make themselves guilty of that folly, which in babes and brutes themselves are wont to make sport with, and to deride ; and withal remember we seriously (for this indeed is no sporting matter) what one of the Ancients well saith, that by such fond and ridiculous, or rather impious and irreligious persuasions as these, howsoever we may keep ourselves from beholding of God, yet we cannot keep God from beholding of us ; we may hinder ourselves from seeing his eye upon us, but not his eye from seeing and taking notice of our ways and our works, whether public, private, or secret. yea that thus, as another well, beguile and gull ourselves we may, but beguile him we cannot; who, as the Apostle telleth us, is not, nor can thus be deluded, or beguiled.

But I fear, courteous Reader (for such I will presume thee to be) that I trespass too much upon thy patience and presumed courtesy, by somewhat an unmannerly and uncurteous, though in some regard not unnecessary, detaining of thee so long in the porch ; especially if desirous to look into the house, and to see what there within may be found. Let it suffice therefore for the present, that it hath been evidently and undeniably made to appear, that herein we charge these men with nothing but what they professedly maintain. As for the ensuing discourse, my first and principal intendment therein, was to remove only one main pillar of that their pernicious opinion. Wherein yet, if by such occasional explication and prosecution of the Scripture by the maintainers thereof wronged, ought else shall be found, that may conduce unto the clearing of any other passages of holy writ, (of which nature somewhat peradventure may be) or if thou shalt therein meet with ought, that may otherwise be useful to thee, for the staying and settling of thy faith in these staggering and tottering times, for the bearing up of thy spirits under any present pressure, confirming of thine heart against cross and unwelcome occurrence, or steering of thy course and directing of thy carriage, amidst the common calamities and disturbances of the times; give God the glory, and afford thy requests (I beseech thee) at his throne of grace, for the support and strengthening in his approaches to the pits-brinck, of

GOD'S EYE ON HIS ISRAEL. An Explication and Application of Balaam's words recorded Numbers 23.21.

T Hat which had wont to be said of Afric, that it was ever producing some new monster or other ; is too true of the age, I would I might not say of the land, wherein we live. But the thing it self is so notorious, that lamented it may be, concealed it cannot be. We have many strange and uncouth, some even monstrous and prodigious opinions, daily started up amongst us: which men of corrupt, either judgment, or affection, or both, taking liberty to themselves, from the present distractions of the state, and disturbances of the times, stick not to broach and disperse, as well in public as in private: whereby multitudes of people, of the weaker sort and sex especially, are seduced and misled ; grievous rents and schisms are made both in Church and State ; the doctrine of the Gospel is much wronged and abused ; and a wide gap is laid open unto all manner of licentiousness and looseness of life.

Among these none to me seemeth more pestiferous and pernicious, then that of those, who from one of the first Authors thereof are commonly called Eatonists, from their opposition to the mandatory and obligatory power of the Law moral, or the Decalog, Antinomians or Antinomists ; and such as have further built on the grounds by them laid; whereby they maintain, among other erroneous conceits, that God seeth no sin at all in his justified children: one covering the hour-glass, that he preacheth by in public, another the Bible that he collateth by in private; and affirming withal, that God no more seeth any sin in any justified persons, then the auditory then present saw, either the Glass the one, or the Book the other; and consequently, that he taketh not notice of it, nor is at all displeased with them, fall they never so foully, or live they never so loosely, for ought that such do: nor doth he inflict ought on them, or on any other, as the Land or State they live in, and are limbs of, either by way of punishment, or in way of chastisement, for any sin by them committed. Yea that therefore, they neither need to crave pardon for any sin or excess, nor to afflict and humble themselves for the same: one of them affirming, that what David did in this kind, after his grievous excesses in the matter of Uriah, proceeded in him from weakness : as also, that what Peter did in the like kind, after his foul fact of denial, issued from the weakness of his faith. On which their principles others raising further super structures, have so far proceeded as to affirm, that neither faith, nor repentance, nor humiliation, nor self denial, nor use of Ordinances, nor doing as one would be done to, are duties required of Christians, or such things as they must exercise themselves in, or they can have no part in Christ. Albeit the Scriptures be so pregnant, and so express to the contrary.

One principal pillar or shore, that hath by these men been erected and applied to the bearing up of that their first main assertion before-mentioned, is hewn out of, and taken from a passage of Balaam, delivered in a speech of his to Balak, thus commonly read, He seeth none iniquity in Jacob; nor seeth no transgression in Israel.

Or somewhat nearer to the original, thus, He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel.

Which place, because it is not only grossly misexpounded and mis-applied by them, but is also, as I conceive, commonly mistranslated and mistaken by the most; I have thought good to impart such thoughts as long since I have had concerning the same to the public; thereby endeavoring to give some further light, if it may be, to the Text ; to clear it, at least, from that wicked and wretched abuse and wrong, which from these men it doth sustain.

In prosecution hereof I shall use this method:

• 1. Deal with the sense that these men fasten on it.
• 2. Deliver and debate the versions and expositions rendered by others.
• 3. Discusse the several branches and terms of the Text.
• 4. Draw forth and pursue that Doctrine that the place understood aright affords.

To begin with the first of these; against the sense that these men would fasten upon it, to wit, that God saw no sin at all in Jacob, nor transgression in Israel, I shall use a fourfold prescription or plea.

First, that this cannot be the meaning of the place, because it evidently crosseth the main tenor of the story, and the truth of God's Word. For how could God but see those sins in that people, which so oft he grievously complaineth of, professeth to take notice of, and to be highly displeased with, threateneth to avenge, yea not threatened alone so to do, but severely, and that frequently also, punished by plagues and judgments of sundry sorts; yea for which he destroyed in the wilderness the main body of that people which he brought out of Egypt, reserving only their issue, to enter upon, and enjoy the Land promised them, in their stead? Or what reasonable creature can be induced to believe, that all this should by God be done, when he had so hoodwinked and blindfolded himself, that he neither did nor could see that, for which he did all this?

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Secondly, that Balaam, who uttered these words unto Balak, did not so understand them, nor was of any such mind. That which appears by the advise that he gave unto Balak. For as the Nobles of Babylon, being well assured that they should never be able to get any advantage against Daniel, whereby to ensnare him, and bring him into danger, save in something that might concern him in his duty to his God, solicited Darius to enact and publish such an edict as might straiten him that way: so Balaam well wotting, that no advantage could be gotten against that people, whereby the enemy might be enabled to have the better of them, but by making a breach between them and their God; advised Balak therefore by the enticements of the daughters of his people to endeavor to induce them to fornication and superstition, to adultery and idolatry, (two sins that are wont to go hand in hand together) that so the wrath of God being incensed against them, and his protection withdrawn from them, they might either lie open to the enemy, or be delivered up by God unto them, to be scourged and punished for their sin. But in vain had it been for Balaam to give such counsel to Balak, or for Balak to have practiced what Balaam suggested, had God been so affected towards this people, that he could not, or would not see, or take notice of what was done amiss, either in that, or in any other kind, by them, nor would be displeased at all with them for it.

Thirdly, that this sense of the words will not stand with other their own principles, but directly crosseth that which themselves otherwhiles aver. For when we object unto them, against this their position, the examples of holy men recorded in Scripture; as of Moses, of whom it is said, that God was angry, yea very angry with him, for his flinching and hanging back, when he was to go on God's errand to Pharaoh ; had like to have slain him in his Inn by the way for the neglect of his child's circumcision ; was displeased with him and Aaron for their incredulity and failings in some unadvised carriages; with Aaron also for having an hand in the calf ; and punished them both with exclusion from possession and enjoyment of the promised Land : of David, concerning whom it is affirmed, that the thing he did in his folly with Bathsheba, and in the murder of Uriah, was evil in God's eyes ; himself also confessing, that those his sins were committed in God's sight, as also that his other sins, such as he had (for some he was falsely charged with) were not hidden from him; and that God by Nathan sharply reproved him for the same; threatening withal to repay his sin in either kind by the like; which accordingly also he did: and again that upon the numbering of his people, which Satan and his own corrupt heart had put him upon, his conscience smote him, as having done that, which he knew God would take notice of, and take to heart, as the event showeth that he did; for God not only signified so much to him by Gad, but made him smart for it in his people: of Jehoshaphat, whom for his assistance of Ahab, God by Jehu • s messenger summoned to answer it, and gave him notice of his wrath incensed against him for it; Of Hezekiah, with whom for a vain ostentation of his wealth and state to the Babylonian Ambassadors, he was not a little displeased, and in displeasure, to his no small grief (no doubt) made known unto him, what in after times should become, not of all his treasures only, but of his posterity. When, I say, we object unto them these and the like examples of God's people, recorded in God's Book, whose excesses and oversights God beheld, and that also with an angry and wrathful eye ; they use to tell us, that these persons were under the cloud, they lived in the times of the Old Testament : that it is not now as it was then; God saw that in them then, which he seeth not in us now: It is true, that in those times God saw sin, and took notice of it, and punished it, even in his own justified ones; but he doth not so nowadays. For, not to insist on that, which in way of reply might be returned hereunto, to wit, that the Apostle Paul acknowledgeth no other kind or manner of justification, then that, whereby Abraham, and David were justified ; from whose examples he draweth an argument to prove, men to be in these times justified freely by faith, as they also in their times were: as also that the Apostle Peter affirmeth▪ that those that lived in those times were saved by the grace, yea the free grace (for unless free, it is no Grace) of God in Christ Jesus, as well as we that live in these days. Not to insist, I say, and stay hereupon; but to turn them over to their own tenets ; these men herein deal with us in this argument, as the Papists do in some others. For as they to make good, that Priests under the Gospel have a power to hear confessions and remit sins, produce some places out of the Old Testament to prove it; whereas yet they themselves confess that the Priests in those times had no such power: and to confirm invocation and intercession of Saints deceased, they produce likewise some passages out of those Scriptures ; when as yet being pressed with the practice of the holy men that then lived, who used no such invokements of any deceased, they are wont to answer, that the Saints in those times deceased could not hear prayers, or be prayed to, because they remained shut up in limbo, and were not gotten yet into heaven. In like manner do these men, To prove that God seeth no sin now in his justified ones, they allege these words of Balaam, spoken of the Israel that then was, as affirming that God saw no sin in them; and other places likewise, where he is said upon their repentance to have hidden all their sins ; (as also to the same purpose they produce those passages, where God is said, to have removed their sins as far from them, as the East is f • om the West ; & to have taken them, and cast them into the bottom of the sea:) whereas yet they are enforced by evidence of truth to confess, that in those times God might and did see, take notice of, and punish sin, even in the best that then were; and this cannot therefore be Balaam's meaning in this place, if what themselves hold be true: nor can they allege this place for the proof of what they herein maintain, without crossing and contradicting that which otherwhiles they acknowledge.

Fourthly, that this burden lies upon them, who undertake to ground such a point as this upon this place, to prove, that this, not only in probability may be, but of necessity must be, the true sense of the words, which they give; for if the words will bear any other sense as well as that which they assign, then cannot the Doctrine, which thence they endeavor to deduce, be raised necessarily from the place.

But that the words of the Text may well admit and bear some other orthodox sense, then this which they strive and contend (all they can) to fasten upon it; and that very aptly also agreeing with the drift and course of the context; shall by God's assistance be shown in the ensuing discourse.

Which yet before I come to make manifest in that, which is herein principally intended; I shall crave leave to spend some time in considering and discussing the divers versions and expositions, that I find given of the same by others.

And here my purpose is not to make any long stay upon such of them, as depart much, either from the Original, or from the Translations with us commonly received, which alone may seem to intimate some such thing as these men, whom at present we deal with, would have them to hold out: Those of this sort may well be referred to two principal heads. The former is of the Chaldee Paraphrast, who rendereth th Text thus, He beholdeth no (a) worshippers of Idols in Jacob, nor seeth any (b) workers of falsehood in Israel, and the Vulgar Latin, that giveth it much to the same purpose, There is no Idol in Jacob, nor Jmage seen in Israel ; of which we shall, God willing, say somewhat more hereafter: for as for that of a learned writer, (who would look also that way,) Vanity shall not decline unto Jacob, nor workmanship be seen in Israel ; it runs so far wide from the Originals, that it is scarce worth the taking notice of.

The latter head is of the Greek Interpreters, who thus yield them, No toilsome travel shall be in Jacob, nor pain, or painful labor seen in Israel. Which version both the Greek Interpreters, and the Latin also divers, as well ancient, as moderne, either in whole or in part, following; expound some of God's providence over the people of Israel in keeping them from being over-toiled and tired out in their tedious passage through the wilderness ; or his powerful assistance in enabling them with ease, to subdue their enemies and surprise their Cities: others of the state and condition of God's elect in the life to come, wherein there shall be no pain, nor travel ; the glorified Saints then being freed from all grievance, and resting wholly from their labors. And true it is that the words here used signify affliction and vexation, as we shall hereafter at large show. But neither do the versions come exactly home to the Original, nor do the interpretations of them suit well with Balaam's intendements ; Nor shall we need to be over-solicitous about them; because though admitted, they would not afford the least color, for the maintenance of that erroneous conceit, that these men would thence assert. They may serve only to show, that the words have not anciently, or generally been taken, either in such a sense, the latter, or in such a latitude of sense, the former, as is now usually given them.

Passe we on therefore to consider of the several interpretations of the words so read as we have them in our English translations, and as before we have in part related.

He beheld no vanity in Jacob, nor saw transgression in Israel.

Or, He seeth none iniquity in Jacob, nor seeth no transgression in Israel.

Or, He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel.

In the exposition hereof Interpreters (none that I have seen, taking them simply, as they may seem at first reading to sound) distinguish, some of the object or thing seen; some of the act, the sight, or manner of seeing here mentioned.

Of the Object, or thing seen, they distinguish two ways.

First, some more strictly taking iniquity and transgression, not for sin in general, but for one species or particular kind of it only, to wit, idolatry. So, (as you heard before) both the Chaldee Paraphrast understandeth it, and the old Latin translator, whom the Popish commenters most follow; nor do some of our Protestant writers herein depart from them. This sense some build on the word used in the former branch, some on that in the latter; some on the word Aven in the former branch, translated iniquity. He saw, saith a learned Writer of ours, no iniquity in Jacob: that is, no id • latry. The reason whereof he thus rendereth. God, as he is, ens entium, is benum, goodness: (none good but God only, having his goodness of himself) but Idols by way of appropriation are called sin; So Jeremy, My people have committed a sin; that is, idolatry, and, This people is prone to sin, that is, to idolatry; and in this sense is that of Siracides to be understood, All the Kings of Israel were sinners, except David, Josiah, and Hezekiah, that is, they were idolaters. Thus he. wherein some things seem not so sound, not of so clear truth at least. For first, no one of the places produced, do prove that for which they are alleged; to wit, that an Idol is in Scripture termed sin. for no man will expound either those words of Jeremiah, My people have committed an Idol, or those of Aaron to Moses, This people is prone to an Idol ; nor doth this Author himself so expound them: it is true indeed, (which had been a a fitter allegation then any of these are) that Moses speaking of the golden Calf saith, I took your sin, meaning the Calf they had made; but sin is there put by a metonymy for the object of their sin, that wherein they had sinned.

Secondly, there is no necessity by sin in those places to understand idolatry ; since that the people there spoken of, both had committed many hideous and horrible sins besides their idolatries, and were prone to many other sins as well as to the worships of their Idols: but, They have si • n • d sin, saith Jeremiah, that is, they have greatly and grievously sinned; as David of himself, though his sin were not such: nor do Aaron's words imply anymore, but that they were a people bent unto evil, as the word there is; or sat upon mischief, as our English hath it: nor need the son of Sirach • words be taken so strictly, but that the Kings of Israel (thereby meaning, not those of the ten Tribes, so most commonly styled, by a denomination from the greater part; but of I • dah, to whom Benjamin still stuck fast, as appeareth by the Kings he mentioneth; sometime also so termed, by a denomination from the better part) were all grievous offenders in someone kind or other; those three only excepted: for to say that the rest of them were all idolaters, were not agreeable to truth▪ since that neither Jehoshaphat was an idolater, though he wanted not his wants and weaknesses; nor Asa, though he had his failings and faultings: and that therefore which is said of him, that though the high places in his days were not utterly abandoned, yet his heart was upright with God all his life long ; is by good Interpreters understood of his constancy in retaining and maintaining God's true service and worship (not withstanding his other over-sights and excesses) to the last.

Thirdly, In this passage of Balaam, there is neither of the words specified in these two other places neither evil, nor sin : and albeit therefore those other places were so to be understood as this Author would have; yet would they hardly come home to give any great strength to the like exposition of the word here used.

Fourthly, it is yet true indeed, that the word Aven here used is sometime given to an Idol. He that burneth incense, saith Isaiah, as if he blessed Aven, an Idol. And the word is joined with Teraphim, which signifieth Images, elsewhere▪ but it seems to be attributed unto them, not so much in regard of the evil and sinfulness, as in regard of the vanity and nothingness of them; which the word also sometime importeth, and some here render it. In which regard likewise is the word shakar given to Idols, which signifieth falsehood or a lie; (Is there not a lie in my right hand?) As they are opposite to the Deity, non qà bonum, sed qà verum, not as God is good, but as he is true. The Lord is the true God: saith Jeremiah, but the image (whether graven or molten) is a lie : and they turned the truth of God. (that is, the true God) into a lie. As for the same cause are Idols also termed Elilim, as a thing of naught : and are by the Apostle said to be nothing in the world. And hence it is, (which showeth how this term is applied unto Idols ) that that place which had been formerly called Bethel, that is, the house of God, in regard of God's appearing there to Jacob, and Jacob's solemn worshipping of God afterwards there; when in process of time it became infamous for idol-worship by the golden Calf •• at Jeroboam had there erected; it was instead of Bethel styled Bethaven, that is, the house of falsehood and vanity ; as both the Chaldee • Paraphrast, and the Jewish Doctors interpret it: and God by Amos threatening the ruin of it, saith, Bethel shall be brought to Aven, that is, as the Chaldee well, it shall be brought to nothing, it shall have no being.

Thus then we have shown and seen, how far forth this sense either may, or may not; receive footing from the former word here used.

Others assay to infer and enforce it upon the latter word, the word Amal used in the other clause. This word indeed the Old Latin rendereth an image, and our Old English, idolatry. And those that here would have it understood of idols, go upon two divers grounds.

For whereas the word Amal hath a twofold signification, it is sometime taken for labor or work. I beheld, saith Solomon, all the labor, wherein I had labored, and, All a man's labor is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled ; or, Tho all a man's labor fall out to his own mind, as himself would have it; yet his soul, or his desire, is not satisfied. Sometime for pain and grief or trouble. I have been made to possess nights of pain, saith Job: and Woe be to those, saith Isaiah; that enact grief ; that is, decrees of grief, grievous decrees ; Some would have this term here given unto Idols, in the former notion, because they are nothing but Workmanship, the work of men's hands ; others in the latter, because they bring nothing but pain and grief in the end to their worshippers and followers; whereof they have another name commonly given them in holy Writ. And of that other name indeed it cannot be denied; for it is almost as frequently found in the one sense, as in the other. But for the word here used, no place is, nor (I suppose) can be produced, where it may be fitly so understood.

Howbeit, though it were granted that this latter were sometime used for an idol, as that the former is, hath been shown; yet could not that be the sense of the words in this place: since that it cannot be said that this people kept free from 〈◊〉 and idolatry, while they abode in the wilderness. For, besides that the story of the golden calf evidently evinceth the contrary; and Aaron's words taken with the above-mentioned Autors gloss on them, would further enforce it; God both by Moses and Amos expressly upbraides them therewith; the one taxing them for sacrificing to devils, the other to idols. (which yet comes all to one; for what was offered to idols, was in them offered to devils ) not unto God. Whereby it appears, not only that they were faulty therein, but that God also so saw it as to take notice of it. That which the sequel of the present history more fully confirmeth; where we shall find four and twenty thousand of them at once taken away, for this very sin of idolatry ; partly by an immediate stroke of God's hand, and partly by execution of justice done at God's command upon them. And thus much for the exposition of those, that restrain to idolatry the sin or iniquity presumed here to be mentioned.

Others so distinguish of the sins which they suppose here meant, in regard of the nature and q • lity of them; as if it were meant, not that no sin at all were to be seen in them, but no such heinous and grievous sins, as did reign among other people; they being an holy people, as whom God had sanctified and set apart to himself ; and branches in reputation at least holy, as springing up from an holy root.

And true it is indeed, that such they were by external vocation, and by profession ; as also by inward disposition of heart, and in holy life and conversation, they ought to have been. But that they came far short of what they should have been; yea, were utterly cross, (for a great, if not the greater part of them) and took courses clean contrary unto what they professed, and were called to; the freqent exprobrations and manifold complaints of Moses, and God by Moses and other his Prophets, twitting them with, and taxing them for, their continual stubbornness, rebelliousnesse, stiffneckednesse, perverseness, crookedness, tempting God, provoking him, spurning against him, shaking off his yoke, vexing and grieving his holy Spirit ; that their Vines were Vines of Sodom, and their slips slips of Gomorrah, their Grapes, that is, their fruits and works, gall and bitterness, and the Wine that came of them, the issue and effect of them, as the poison of Adders, and the cruel venom of Asps ; these, I say, and the like opprobrious terms by the Spirit of God justly and deservedly given them, do too evidently evince. Besides, that this their external condition and profession was so far from lessening and extenuating the guilt of their sins, or concealing them from God's sight, that it served rather to aggravate them, as being found in those, among whom the contrary virtues and duties ought to have reigned; and who having been better taught, and professing better things, might justly therefore be deemed worse then other, though they were no worse, yea or not so bad ; because they ought to have been, and might have been, much better. For which cause also God threatens, the rather to punish them for their sins before and above other people, whom he had not known and owned, as he had done them, that is, whom he had not afforded the like favor unto, nor taken into special covenant with him.

Nor doth this sense therefore satisfy: and that as little, that they were not a people given to injurious and vexatious courses : because such kind of sins the words here used imp • y: (and indeed they so do, as shall hereafter appear) for that they were not free from such sins also as these, yea rather that such abuses also abounded among them, some of the passages above-recited do as clearly prove, as the like expressions 〈◊〉 , used by the Prophet Isaiah, concerning those of his times.

That which one of the Jewish teachers hath, were more probable, if the Text would admit it; who knitting this passage with the foregoing proposition, maketh this to be the meaning of Balaam's words here, that God would not repent him of protecting them and going along with them, so long as he saw them not break out into some outrageous evil. Which, if he should see them do, he would not be with them, as formerly he had been. And referreth us for the proof hereof to that passage in Jeremiah, where God telleth the Prophet, that as upon a people's repentance he would repent him of the evil that he had threatened to inflict on them, when they sinned; so on the other side upon a people's revolt or relapse, he would repent himself of the good that he had promised to do them, while they continued in a godly course. Withall adding, that this very speech of Balaam gave Balak an hint to attempt what afterwards he did, to draw the children of Israel to fornication and idolatry. And it is true indeed, that albeit the people were never without sin, (for whoever is?) nor without much sin the most of them, (for the greater part, even everywhere is generally the worse ) yet God did not usually proceed in any severe course of exemplary execution upon them, but upon some very heinous and notorious excess. But the Rabbin's analysis of the Text here, as oft elsewhere, seems not so natural; nor will the sense he gives be made up out of the words without some unnecessary supplies.

Hitherto then we have considered the expositions of those who distinguish of the object or the thing seen.

Others distinguish of the act, of the sight, or manner of seeing.

God, say some, s • eth not, that is, doth not so see any sin in them, as to destroy them for it, or to give way to any that should endeavor so to do. That which was Balak’s intent in hiring Balaam to curse them; and was God's purpose concerning those people whom he cast out before them.

And indeed true it is, that God, though they provoked him full oft thereunto, and gave him just occasion so to do, yet did not deal with them according to their due desert, nor destroy them utterly, as he justly might have done, and sometime threatened to do; but in much mercy forbare them, upon Moses his intercession, and their own, (though many times not sincere, but self-seeking only) humiliation.

But this seems not to be the thing by Balaam, or God's Spirit speaking by Balaam's tongue here, intended. For, besides that God did see and take notice of their excesses, to take vengeance on them for the same; by destroying whole multitudes of them: it neither sorteth well with the words, as they are above rendered, that imply no sight, or taking notice at all of any sin in that people; nor with the scope of Balaam, which seems to be the setting out of the goodly, glorious, potent, and impregnable condition of that people, as having God himself residing as their Sovereign in the midst of them, and as with great state and pomp, as Commander in chief, conducting them and marching along with them; so protecting them against all the might and malice of their adversaries enabling them to prevail against them, and rendering them successful and victorious in all their undertakings. Now what commendation were it of a people, or how suitable hereunto, to say, that though they be never so bad or debauched, yet God doth not so see, or take notice of their loose and loud courses, as to destroy them utterly for the same?

The like exception lieth against that other exposition of some others, that God is said not to see or behold their sins, because he doth not impute them unto them but doth hide them, remit them, and wash them away in, and for Christ. Understanding them of the better sort of the people, the godly and faithful among them, the true Israel, the Israel of God, only.

And true it is indeed, that in ordinary speech we use to say, that a man will not know or see that, which he refuseth to take notice, or will not be acknown of. Nor is it less true, that when God upon man's repentance hath remitted sin, he doth no more regard it, so as to alienate his fatherly affection from the party now repentant, or to cast him off and condemn him for the same, then as if he had never seen it, or taken notice of it, or been incensed against him, or displeased with him for it. In which sense also he is said, where he forgives sin, to forget it; that is, no more to regard, in the respects before-mentioned, what hath been done amiss by his people upon their repentance, then as if he had forgotten it, yea then as if it never had been either done by them, or known to him. To which purpose is that speech of one of the ancients, writing on those words of the Psalmist, Blessed is the man whose iniquity is remitted, or removed, and whose sin is covered ; (to which may be adjoined that parallel place, Thou hadst remitted the iniquity of thy people, thou hadst covered all their sin. ) What is covered, is not seen: what is not seen, is not imputed: what is not imputed, shall not be punished. As also of another to the like effect on the same place, What God is willing to hide, he is unwilling to see: what • e is unwilling to see, he is unwilling to mind: what he is unwilling to mind, he is unwilling to censure. He is not willing to take notice; more willing to wink at, to pass by, and pardon. All which is most true, and may from those passages of Scripture be averred, as well of the faithful that lived before Christ's coming in the flesh, as of those that live in these days: and no way therefore furthereth or favoreth the Antinomian conceit.

But yet, besides that so to expound the word here, considering the main drift and scope of the wizards speech, would, as Calvi • observes well upon the place, afford but a flashy sense: the parties here spoken of under the names of Jacob and Israel, are not the better sort alone, or the faithful ones only, though more especially indeed, and most principally they; but the main body of the people that came out of Egypt, and were now on their march towards the promised Land; and whom Balak was afraid of, and hired Balaam to curse.

However therefore some of these expositions of this Scripture, (to say nothing of the rest) are much more probable then that, which these corrupt teachers would fasten upon it, and were consequently enough to stop their mouths: (for if but as probable an exposition, as theirs is, can be produced, it is enough to show, that it is not of necessity so to be taken as they require) yet because some just exception may be taken unto each of them, as hath already in part been shown; I shall in the next place proceed to lay down what I conceive to be the true and genuin sense of the words; and then further endeavor by collation of other Scriptures, both to clear, and to confirm the same.

The Text soundeth word for word thus from the Original,

He hath not beheld wrong against Jacob; nor hath he seen grievance against Israel.

And may more fully and familiarly to an English ear be thus rendered,

He hath not beheld, or, he doth not, or will not behold wrong offered to Jacob; nor hath he seen, or nor doth he, or will he see, grievance done to Israel.

For the further opening and strengthening hereof, we shall consider these four things:

• 1. What the words Aven, and Amal here used do signify.
• 2. Who the Jacob and Israel here spoken of, are.
• 3. How the particle beth prefixed and affixed to those two proper names, may be here taken.
• 4. What manner of sight it is, that is here intimated.

For the first of these, the words Aven and Amal here used, do neither of them, either properly or generally signify sin, but the former of them doth properly signify affliction, and iniquity (as it is usually translated) or wrong rather, (for there is another word that more properly answereth to in • quity ) as it is a means of affliction to the wronged, as that which causeth them by putting them to pain ) to mourn and lament. The latter signifieth labor, travel, trouble, grievance, vexation ▪ nor is ever found taken simply for sin.

The common use of the words to be such as is said, may by these places appear.

1. For the proper and native sense of them. Affliction, saith Eliphaz, cometh not forth of the dust: neither doth trouble, or grievance spring out of the ground; but man is born to trouble. not to labor ; (though that also be true; and the word sometime also so signify) but to trouble ; by Asaph called therefore the trouble of man in his present calamitous condition, where he saith of the wicked that seemed exempt from it, They are not in the trouble of Enoch nor are they plagued with Adam. That is, they have not their share in those troubles that mortal men are subject to, nor in those plagues that men ordinarily endure. And, the days of our years, saith Moses, are threescore and ten years; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow. Or, as the words may well be translated, the days of our years make up, or consist of, threescore and ten years; or with the strongest of fourscore: but the very pride (or prime) of them, (when they are at the best) is but labor and sorrow ; or trouble and travel. Hence those complaints of Job and Jeremiah in some fits of impatience; the one wishing that he had never been born, or had perished in the birth, that sorrow ot grievance might have been hidden from his eyes ; that he might never have come to see it: The other bemoaning himself that ever he was born, to see labor and sorrow ; or vexation and affliction. So Solomon, There shall no evil, or, no affliction rather, (for it is not the evil of sin that is there spoken of) befall the just: but the wicked shall be filled with evil, or mischief. They shall have their fill of that, which the other shall be freed from. Yea so may we well translate that of Isaiah, Your calling of solemn meetings I cannot endure; it is affliction and vexation to m • . And David, Behold mine affliction and my pain, or my grievance.

2. For the figurative and metaphorical acception of them. The ploughers of iniquity, or wrong, saith Eliphaz, (those that plough it, or plough for it) and the sowers of trouble, (wickedness, saith our English) they that sow it for others, reap the same. Those that deal wrongfully, and thereby procure trouble to others are paid in their own coin; that through God's judgment is repaid to them, that they have been authors of to others. As Solomon, He that soweth wickedness, shall reap affliction. Affliction, or vexation, I say, with good authors, rather then vanity : and so it may well be translated in that of Eliphaz also. And again, They conceive mischief, (so our English) or grievance, and bring forth wrong, or iniquity ; (our English, vanity) and their belly prepares deceit. He compareth wicked men to a teeming woman, that is always breeding, never without a great belly. They are continually, saith Eliphaz, contriving of some mischievous plot, and producing of some wrongful design, and going great with some fraudulent device or other: no sooner delivered of one, but projecting another. Where why I rather translate Aven wrong, or iniquity, then vanity, besides the course of the context, and the use so frequent in that common phrase of workers of iniquity, or wrong-doers, (for it is nothing else) parallel places speak for it. For so the Prophet Isaiah pursuing the same metaphor, and retaining the same words, (r) They conceive mischief, or grievance; and bring forth iniquity, or wrong. And the Psalmist, Behold, he travelleth with iniquity, or wrong; and hath conceived mischief, or grievance; and brought forth falsehood. he is delivered of some false and fraudulent business; as the word is elsewhere used. some deceit, as Eliphaz before. or, but he shall bring forth falsehood, or aly. He shall fail of his purpose, his expectation shall be frustrate. Again, of the like 〈◊〉 person, His mouth is full of cursing, and deceit, and fraud: 〈◊〉 his tongue is mischief, or grievance; and vanity ; or, iniquity and wrong rather, the very words here used. And again, where the latter of them, the words of his mouth are mischief and fraud. And yet again, speaking of a wicked State given to oppression, J have seen violence and strife in the City; mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Where the former word is translated mischief, as the latter was before. As also in the same Psalm, where we have it thus rendered, they cast iniquity upon me. as if the meaning were, that they wrongfully charged him with some crime. which Calvin justly censureth as a nicety, not well agreeing with the context. others rather translate it, they throw down affliction upon me. by injurious, vexatious and pernicious courses, seeking to work mine overthrow. as alluding to a siege, wherein the besieged are wont to throw down on the besiegers, stones, and dirt, and logs▪ and fire-brands, and whatsoever else may destroy, or annoy them.

Lastly, to heap up no more places, though many more might be; that of Isaiah shall close up all; where he denounceth a woe against those rulers that enact decrees of wrong, that is, unjust and wrongful; or, of affliction, that is, afflicting and vexing, decrees; and that write grief, or grievance, decrees of grievance, grievous ones, such as are made of purpose to vex and molest poor people. By these p • aces then it doth evidently appear, what the usual and constant signification is of the two terms here used. Which Calvin also doth accordingly observe to signify such kinds of iniquity or evil doing as do tend to the wronging and hurting, or molesting and vexing of others.

The second thing to be considered, is who they be that are here styled Jacob and Israel.

Where first, that by Jacob and Israel is not meant the Patriarch himself who was at first named Jacob, because at his coming into the world, like a cunning runner or wrestler, as he followed his brother, who had got the start of him, close at the heels, so he caught him and held him fast by the heel, as intending to supplant him, and recover ground of him: which in process of time also accordingly he did, as the Prophet intimates, and his brother supplanted by him comp • aineth: and was afterward, upon his wrestling with the Angel, and by a godly and grateful kind of violence, prevailing over him, new named, and instead of Jacob styled Israel, by the Angel, whom he had so strived and struggled with, at their parting: that not the Patriarch himself, I say, who bare both those names, and is indifferently called by either, is here meant; but his issue and posterity, called sometime, the sons, and the seed of Jacob, sometime the sons, and the seed of Israel, and sometime Jacob and Israel simply, as in this place, so elsewhere, there is no doubt made, nor is it denied by any.

But secondly whether the whole body of that people, then abiding in the wilderness, or some special part of them only, be here understood, may be and is by some questioned. And that the rather, because the Apostle, when he saith, that they are not all Israel that are of Israel ; as also elsewhere, by way of eminency, terming some the Israel of God ; doth thereby seem to imply, that there is a twofold Israel ; a true and genuine, and a counterfeit and bastardly Israel: an Israel according to man, and an Israel according to God ; an Israel after the flesh, and an Israel after the spirit. Now some restrain to the former only, what is here spoken, and make it to be either a privilege of such alone as were holy and upright in that people, or a prophecy of the faithful that should live in these times.

But this, as in part we have formerly shown, is groundless; yea, is directly against, both the course of the story, and the current of the context.

For first, the Israel here spoken of is said to be the Israel, that God brought out of Egypt. But it was the main body of the people, that was thence brought forth, consisting as well of unfaithful as faithful, as well of those whose carcasses for their disobedience and rebellions fell in the Wilderness, as of those, who continuing steadfast in covenant with God, either deceased by the way, or entered into the land of promise.

2. They are those whom Balak hired Balaam to curse. But those that he hired him to curse, was the main body of that people, which he feared, by their multitude would lick up and wast the wealth of his land, as a drove of Oxen licketh up grass, and depastureth a ground.

3. They are those that Balaam beheld when he uttred these words▪ but Balaam beheld them under no other notion but as a numerous and powerful people, encamping and marching under God's conduct and safeguard; not distinguishing between them in regard of any inward disposition, which his eye was not able to descry.

4. The Israel here mentioned, is that Israel, against which Balaam by no sorcery or enchantment was able to prevail. But it was the mixed body consisting of both sorts, which by no sorcery or such like evil art he was able any way to impeach.

Of the main body therefore of the Israelites, which came out of Egypt, were at present encamped on the confines of Moab, whom Balak being afraid of, hired Balaam to curse, and whom Balaam beheld, but durst not curse, nor by any of his devilish arts was able to do ought against, it is apparent that Balaam under the names of Jacob and Israel here speaketh.

The third question is concerning the signification of the particle beth before the names of Jacob and Israel prefixed, and affixed thereunto.

It is usually indeed taken subjective, as denoting the subject of some attribute. As when it is said by the Psalmist; Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me. And, O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands. And, I have seen, saith God by Jeremiah, folly in the Prophets of Samaria. and, I have seen also an horrible thing in the Prophets of Jerusalem, and so the most Interpreters here understand it.

But it is taken also sometime objective ; as denoting the object, or matter, whereabout something is employed; as Joseph was the object of his brethren's envy; David the object of Saul's cruel persecution ; Job the object of the Devils malice, and the like. Thus is this particle also frequently used: as where it is said, God fights against Egypt for Israel ; that is, against the Egyptians ▪ for the Israelites. And, Thou shalt not bear falls-witness against thy neighbor. And, Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses. And The burden upon Arabia. or, A burdensome prophecy against Arabia. And in the Psalm, Direct my steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. or, Confirme, and strengthen, my steppings according to thy word ; (that is, thy promise) and let no iniquity prevail against me ; or, that no iniquity prevail against me. no iniquity, that is, no injurious course of any mine enemies and opposites. or no iniquity or wrongful dealing, for, no injurious and wrongful dealers, as pride, for proud men, in those words of the Psalmist, Let not the foot of pride reach me; nor the hand of the wicked stir me. And as in those words of the Apostle, Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin. against sin, that is, (as Interpreters of good note) either against the wickedness of the enemies of the Gospel, who by cruel and bloody courses strive to force men from the faith: or against sin, that is▪ against sinners ; such wicked ones, as he had spoken of in the verse next beforegoing. and that the Psalmists words are so to be taken, and understood; not of his own, but of other men's iniquity, the very next words evidently show, where he saith, Deliver me from the oppressions of men. As also that of the Apostle may well be understood, The Lord will deliver me from every evil work. not that might be committed by him, but that by wicked men might be plotted, or attempted against him. The like may be said of those words of the Psalmist, where he saith, Why should I fear in the day of evil, (or, why should I be afraid in the time of adversity) when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? that is, (as the most judicious Interpreters understand it) when wicked men that trace me, pursuing me close at the heels, or observing my heels that is, my steppings▪ and seek to supplant me, do on every side beset me. So do also the Greek Interpreters, and the Latin, that follow them, understand that place in the Psalm where we read, iniquities prevail, or have prevailed, against me. Taking iniquities, or wickednesses, for unjust, or wicked men. The words are, word for word, words of iniquities. But words seem there, as oft elsewhere, to be put for things. Nor is it needful indeed that iniquities there be taken for unrighteous men. Howbeit the iniquities there spoken of seem, not David's own, but his adversaries, not committed by him, but practiced by his enemies against him; whose unjust courses, albeit they had sometime prevailed to the molestation and vexation of himself and of God's people, in whose person he there speaketh; yet God upon their serious seeking to him, had been propitious to them, in remitting their sins, which had given their adversaries such power against them, & vouchsafing them deliverance from them. And I shall make bold to propound it only and so leave it, to be weighed and deemed by better judgments, whether in that passage of the Psalmist if it be applied unto Christ, Evils without number assail me on every side; they have so fastened upon me, that I am not able to look up, (they press me down in that manner;) or, that I cannot see, (mine eye-sight through grief, and faintness failing me;) or, cannot look out, look about me, for means of escape or relief; (being as one at his wits end;) they are more in number then the hairs of mine head: in so much that my heart faileth me. Whether, I say, in this passage, those words, mine iniquities, or my wrongs ▪ may not thus also be understood; not of inquities, or wrongs committed by him, but of iniquities, or wrongs done unto him. I am not ignorant, that there is no necessity of expounding them of Christ, albeit some passages in that Psalm be applied unto him: since that it is not necessary that every particular be understood of him in those Psalms, wherein some typical prophecies of him and his sufferings are found; and I know that other sound and probable expositions are given of them, by others, who understand them as spoken in the person of Christ. One thing I am sure of, that those grossly abuse them, who taking their rise from Luther's application of them, with some harsh expressions, unto Christ, strain them so far, as to dissuade Christian people from troubling themselves about confession of their sins, as being enough for them to believe, that Christ here hath confessed them for them already. But not to insist on this▪ being not so clear, or certain, as those others are before alleged: As in those places the iniquity mentioned, is not subjectively, but objectively theirs that complain of it, and desire either protection against it, or deliverance from it: so the wrong and grievance of Jacob and Israel by Balaam here spoken of, seems to be, not that which they had, or did exercise on others, but that which by others was, or might be exercised on them. such grievance, or grievous misery, or vexation of Israel, as God is said to have been grieved for, when the Philistines and the Ammonites sometime sorely oppressed them.

Thus then I suppose the particle beth here to be used: as also without it, in a kind of defective speech, words either the same, or the like to these here used, appear ofttimes to be of necessity understood. As where Sara being despised by her hand-maid Hagar, saith to Abraham her husband, My wrong (not done by me, but done to me, by my servant) be upon thee. Where God's people of the Babylonians, by whose cruel oppression they had endured much misery, My violence (that is, as our English well) The violence done to me, be upon Babel. Let the guilt of it lie heavy on them, and from God be avenged with them. And where Rebekah to her son Jacob, when he was fearful of incurring his fathers curse, Upon me be thy curse. Not the curse wherewith he should or might curse any, but the curse wherewith he feared his father might curse him, for attempting to beguile him; let the curse, if any shall be by the father darted at thee, light upon me, let me bear the burden of it. But here the particle is expressed, which in these latter forms is concealed; and which I am the rather induced thus to take here, because I find it within a verse or two by Balaam himself so used: where howsoever the Greek and the Vulgate Latin, (which the Popish writers, and some of ours also have formerly followed) taking this particle in the former sense, read the words thus, There is no sorcery in Jacob; nor soothsaying in Israel. Yet the later and sounder writers, upon more sedulous and exact consideration, (and as the latter thoughts are usually the more advised ; so the later Interpreters are generally the quicker-sighted ) take the particle (as I here also do) in the latter sense, thus rendering the text, There is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. and in like manner here, no iniquity or wrong done to Jacob, nor grievance, molestation, or vexation offered to Israel ; either projected and plotted, or attempted and practiced against him, that God can endure to s • .

And this leadeth me on to the fourth question, to wit, what sight, or manner of seeing it is, that Balaam here speaks of.

There is therefore a twofold sight, as with man, so with God: to speak of him as human capacity is able to conceive the things of God, and to utter them in such language as our infirmity will afford.

There is first, a vision or sight of simple contemplation or consideration ; whereby God vieweth and taketh notice of all things in the world, and among the rest, of all men, and of all men's actions, good and bad. For, though God dwell on high; yet he stoopeth so low, as to behold and take notice of the things that are and are done, not in heaven only, but on earth also. He beholds the ends of the earth, and seeth all that is under any part of heaven. And there is an eye of God in every place, beholding both the good and the bad. For the Lord looks down from heaven, and beholds all the sons of men: from his dwelling place he views all that dwell on the earth: and as he framed alike the souls of each of them, (as well of one as of another) so he considereth all their works. His eyes are upon all the ways of men; and he vieweth all their goings: he seeth every step they take: and there is no darkness, nor deadly shade, wherein wrong-doers can be sheltered and concealed from his sight. Of such a sight therefore the words of seeing and beholding here cannot be understood. For thus he seeth wickedness, or wrong, and considereth it too, saith Eliphaz: and, he beholdeth mischief ▪ or grievance, and spite, saith the Psalmist. And that then especially, when it is done to those that are more peculiarly his: I have seeing seen, I have certainly, considerately, wistfully seen, the affliction of my people ; saith God to Moses, when they suffered so much in Egypt. and as he seeth it, so he taketh notice of it, and taketh it to heart. If thou seest, saith Solomon, oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a Province; marvel not at the matter, (be not troubled so much about it, as if there were no redress for it) for he that is higher then the highest of observeth it, (to wit, God; by Job styled the observer of men) and there be higher then they: who therefore both can and will call them to account.

2. There is a vision of comprobation and complacency, wherewith God is said so to see things, that withal he approveth and liketh well of them. Thus saith God to Noah, Thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. when looking upon the whole world besides, he saw it all corrupt, and full of wickedness. and I have seen thy tears ; saith God to Hezekiah : I have beheld them with acceptation. and, I will look unto him, that is poor, or lowly, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word. to approve his person▪ and accept his service. So on the other side in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, For one to crush prisoners under his feet; to turn aside, or, overthrow a man's right before the face of the most high; and to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord seeth it not ; that is, the Lord approves not of it. though some reading the words by way of interrogation, understand it rather as spoken in the former fence, and of the former sight, Doth not God see it? But so, without all question, in a place parallel to this: where the Prophet, as he complaineth to God, that he had made him to see wrong, and (as the words are almost generally rendered) caused him to behold grievance ; (the very terms by Balaam here used) in the former sense: So he affirmeth of God, that he is of purer eyes then to see evil: and that he cannot behold, or look on, vexation, or grievance. that is, he is one, that cannot endure to see or behold it, but with detestation and dislike. and by way of expostulation therefore, he demandeth of him, why he himself beholdeth grievance : for so indeed the words would be read▪ and some render them aright: and doest thou, or wilt thou, behold grievance ? or, while thou thyself beholdest the grievances, that the godly sustain at the hands of the wicked: as they elsewhere, we have been afflicted so and so, in thy sight. and again; as Ester sometime to Ahasuerus, How can I endure to see the evil of my people, and the destruction of my kindred? so how he can endure to look on, (as if he liked well enough of it, or did not greatly mislike it) and be silent, as if he were deaf ; hold his peace, and say nothing, while the wicked devoureth him, that is more righteous then himself: and make, or suffer men to be as the fish of the sea; that are without ruler ; and live without rule : where the greater preyeth upon, and swalloweth down the lesser. as the most Interpreters expound that place. or, as some other; and make men to be as the fish of the Sea, whom who will may catch without control; and as the creeping things, as worms that crawl on the ground, which men kill at pleasure; because they have no governor, either to order them, or to protect them against the violence of others, not fish, or creeping things of their own kind, so much, as either men in general the one, or fishermen more especially, the other, who d • awe up whatsoever cometh to hand, with the hook, and sweep all away hand over head, with their net. as in the next words, (whereto such, tyrants and oppressors of God's people, are compared) the Prophet explaining himself, doth complain.

Now as in that passage of the Prophet, it is said of God, that he cannot endure to see evil, and behold grievance ; so in the wizards speech here, the like is said of him, concerning wrong and grievance done to his people. and the words may be rendered, either in the time past, he hath not seen wrong, nor beheld grievance done to his people by any adversary hitherto, but hath righted and revenged it. witness his judgments executed on Pharaoh and the Egyptians for their cruel oppression, hard usage and malicious pursuit of them; and that sad, severe, and irrevokable sentence passed upon the Amalekites, for their molesting of them in their passage. Or in the time to come; (for the tenses in the original are oft promiscuously used) he will not see any wrong done to Jacob, or grievance done to Israel. as we use to say, I will not see such an one wronged : when our meaning is, that we will not endure it; but will either protect and secure them against it, or be revenged on those that shall either attempt it, or do it. Or in the time present, but as in a potential form ; (which in either tense is not unusual) He cannot endure to behold wrong offered to Jacob; nor to see grievance done to Israel. Or, putting all together, as all closely implied, and jointly both intended and included, He hath not seen, or beheld, will not see, cannot endure to see, or behold any wrong or grievance, that hath been, shall be, is or may be, by any offered unto, or attempted against, his Jacob, his Israel. And this I conceive to be, as the true and genuine, so the full and entire sense of the place. and it is indeed in effect the same with that which Calvin not without some good approbation relateth, as the exposition of some before him; to wit, that God is said not to see wrong or molestation in, or against Israel, because he will not suffer them to be wrongfully vexed and grieved, nor endure to see the same: and if any therefore shall attempt to harm them, he will not admit any violence or wrong against them, but will oppose himself thereunto. whereunto also he addeth, that being so understood, it may be indefinitely and passively thus rendered, (as of many other places the like may be shown) No wrong shall be seen done to Jacob, nor molestation beheld done to Israel. and so, saith he, the context will run more clearly. the reason thereof being rendered in the words next ensuing; because God is present with them, ready at hand, to protect them, and to oppose any that shall attempt to wrong or to molest them.

Thus then it appears, that another sense may be given of these words, then that which these corrupters of Scripture would fasten upon them; and that such, as well agreeth, both with the truth of story, and the analogy of faith ; (whereas theirs agreeth with neither) and receiveth further co • firmation, from the ordinary and most usual signification of the words, from the connection of them with the residue of the context, and from the collation of other Scriptures.

And the result of all that hath hither to been said, is this, that that which these men would make them to speak, doth directly cross the tenor of the story, and the truth of God's word ; doth contradict their own tenets, and is inconsistent with them; could not be the mind and meaning of him by whom they were uttered, nor can duly and justly be by them pressed as a ground for such a point of doctrine as they would build thereupon, since that they may well bear another sense.

Let us in the next place proceed, now we have the true sense, to consider, what the proper doctrine is of the place.

The Text then thus cleared, the point of instruction that of itself it naturally yieldeth and affordeth us, is this, that

God cannot endure to see any wrong or grievance done or offered unto his.

This he manifested and made known to the world, from the very first beginning of his sequestration of persons and people to himself. When, albeit they were but few in number, yea very few, and those strangers in the lands wherein they lived; what time they wandered from Nation to Nation, out of one Kingdom to another: when the paucity of them, together with their present estate and condition, as not strangers only, but travellers, might in all likelihood expose them to contempt and despite, and consequently to much wrong and abuse; yet it is said, that even then he suffered no man to do them wrong, but sharply reproved, yea and severely punished Kings themselves, and that not one alone, (as the sacred stories show) for their sake ; for attempting to wrong them. And when they were grown now to a greater multitude, to be a numerous people, though he suffered them for a while to be oppressed in Egypt, yet as he had long before threatened, on the King and people that so oppressed them, he executed judgment, and that in such manner as made all the world ring of it, and the fame of it being spread abroad far and near, made other Nations also to stand in awe of them. Too long and tedious it would be, to trace this point, as might easily be done, through the whole body of the holy story : to relate thence the heavy doom, first past, and after executed, on Amalek, for molesting them in their passage: the overthrows and slaughters, of Sihon and Og with their forces, that denied them passage through their Land, & opposed them in their way; and of those numberless multitudes of the Cushites, Syrians, Assyrians, and others, that invaded them in their own Country under Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah ; together with the shameful flight of Sennacherib, & the execution done on him by the hands of his own sons : and of the exemplary judgment shown on Haman and his whole house; who by plotting and attempting the ruin of that people, ruined himself, and all his. Suffice it may in general to have observed, that no people or person are in God's book read of, ever to have either wronged God's people, or attempted so to do, but that first or last they have paid full dear for it.

The reasons hereof may be drawn, either from those relations that such have unto God ; or from God's own nature and disposition, as in general, so more especially, toward those who in more special manner are his.

First, I say, the relations that such have unto God : and these are manifold and various, but all herein concurring, that they necessarily imply, that affection in God toward them, and care of them, that is intimated in my Text.

For they are his anointed ones, his adopted ones, his first-born, his first-fruits, his deer ones, his darlings, his spouse, his turtle, his people.

1. They are God's anointed ones. Touch not, saith he, mine anointed. take heed how you but touch them, how you offer the least wrong to them, how you make the lightest or sleightest attempt against them. they are mine anointed ; whom I will not have once touched. Kings are justly deemed sacred ; because they are the Lord's anointed. and, who can be guiltless, saith David, that shall stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed? and God himself of David, With mine holy Oil have I anointed him : and the enemy therefore shall not exact upon him; nor the sons of any wrong-doers afflict him; I will beat down his foes before his face; and plague them that hate him.

They are not indeed such anointed ones, of whom God there speaks, and in whose behalf, he claimeth this prerogative and privilege, and proclaimeth such immunity and indemnity as you have heard. they are Kings, whom he speaks to, and whom he is said to have rebuked, for their sakes, of whom he there speaks. But the anointed he there speaks of, and for whom Kings are said to have been reproved, were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, with their issue and retinue ; so termed in regard of that spiritual ointment, that being poured without measure on Christ their head, doth from him descend and is derived, in its due measure, unto every member of that body whereof he is head; by virtue whereof they are enabled to become Kings and Priests unto God. and so all sound interpreters generally, as well ancient as modern, expound that place. Howbeit, if the material anointing make those other inviolable, no marvel, if this spiritual anointing have with God the same effect in regard of those that partake of it, that he will not endure to see them in the least degree wronged, whom he holdeth as his anointed.

2. They are God's adopted ones; adopted to be his children and coheirs with his Christ. I will receive you ; I will take you to me, take you into my family: and will be a father unto you; and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. And, understand and consider in thine heart. saith Moses to this people, that as a father chastiseth his children, so the Lord chastiseth thee. And doth he carry himself towards them as a father, in chastising of them only; and not in taking care of them also, in matter of provision, in case of protection? yes undoubtedly, as well in the one kind as in the other. For is it not so with earthly, mere natural parents? yea even with the dumb creatures, with brute beasts? How chary are affectionate parents wont to be of the safety and welfare of their children? more chary of theirs ordinarily then of their own. it is an usual speech with parents, when their children are ill used, Do to me what you will, but meddle not with my children. yea nature hath taught, and by a secret instinct doth incite, not the stronger and stouter only, but even the weakest, the most timorous and cowardly, of the creatures, to expose themselves and their lives to hazard, for the safety and indemnity of their young. And is not God's affection as great and as tender to his, as the affection of any parent can be to his child, or any creature to its issue? "Yes undoubtedly, and infinitely much more, it being he that hath put this affection into them. Hence, when Zion complaineth that the Lord had forsaken her, her God had forgotten her; can a woman, saith God, so forget her sucking child, (that is ever in her eye, never out of her lap or arms almost, ever and anon at her breast) that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her own womb? th • some should prove so unnatural as so to do, yet cannot I forget thee. I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands ; (that I may no sooner open my hands, but I may be put in mind of thee) and thy walls (which lying desolate as a rueful spectacle, cannot but move to compassion) are continually in mine ey. And, when he heareth Ephraim bemoaning himself with hearty remorse and regret for his forepassed unruly and rebellious carriages, Is this Ephraim, saith God, my dear son? is it the child I delight in? (for so the words would there be read) to wit, that bemoaneth himself in this manner: Surely even since I spake against him, I do still seriously, or constantly, remember him. Notwithstanding my sharp reproofs, and severe menaces, I have him in mind still, though I may seem not to regard him, yet I cannot but remember him. mine affection continueth entire and tender still towards him. my bowels within me are troubled, they yearn, or sound for him. they work and yearn towards him, as a tender mothers are wont to do towards her child, when it lieth in pain, or when it is in danger and distress. I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. In a word, imagine we, how ill an affectionate father or mother, Princes and great ones especially, that think theirs privileged above others, can endure to see their children, whom they are so tender of, ill entreated: and thence may we well gather, how ill God can brook any ill-usage of his.

3. They are God's first born. not his children only, but his first born. God, when he will most pregnantly express his tender affection to David, and his singular respect of him, J will make him, saith he, my first born. And men can have but one such; but God's children are all such with him. the assembly of the first born, saith the Apostle. in allusion to the Law; wherein all the first born were consecrated to God, were peculiarly his. The affection of parents to their children, where many are, is in some sort entire to each. and there is somewhat usual in each, out of which, though it be but some weakness, yet a tender-hearted parent can pick matter enough, whereon to ground his affection. if there be nothing else, that is enough, that they are hi • . But if the affection be in any considerable degree carried more to someone than to the rest, it resteth commonly in the greatest eminency (unless some other by-consideration abate it) upon the first born. he is the prime of his strength ▪ and the head of the house. and as the care therefore of provision for the first born, is the greatest: so the grief for the loss of the first born is the most grievous. They shall mourn, saith he, as one mourneth for his only child, and grieve bitterly, as one grieveth for his first born. If then the affection of parents to their first born be such; no marvel if God's affection be no other to his first born : and such are his all to him. It is the argument he useth by Moses to Pharaoh; Israel is my son, even my first born. and I say unto thee, (take it from me;) Let my son go to serve me. Or, if thou refuse to let him go, I will slay thy son, even thy first born. and God made his word good. for so upon his refusal, after many other sad judgments, at last accordingly he did.

4. They are his first fruits. as his first born, so his first-fruits too. Of his own will he begat us, saith the Apostle, by the word of truth, that we might be the first fruits of his creatures. As the first born, so the first fruits were holy to God, and were therefore reserved and preserved for his use. and for any to detain them, or to imbecil them, was sacrilege. nor is it any less, or lower a degree of sacrilege, to abuse or wrong any of these God's spiritual first fruits. It is the plea that God by the Prophet useth in the behalf of his people; Israel is holiness to the Lord. he is consecrated to him, as the first fruits were. he is the first fruits of his increase. and what followeth? all therefore that devour him shall contract guilt by so doing. some evil or other shall befall them: as it fared usually with those, that devoured any holy thing.

5. They are God's darlings, his deer ones. Save my soul from the sword, saith David; my darling from the hand, or power of the Dog. my darling, saith he. and, thy darling, he might as well have said. for David was indeed one of God's darlings. and so are all the faithful, his darlings, his de • r ones, his dearly beloved ones: as deer and precious to him, yea more deer and precious to him, I may safely say, then to themselves. The sons of Zion, are precious one. and, Because thou wast precious in my sight ; saith God to his Jacob, to his Israel. If it be demanded, how precious, how deer. even as precious and deer as to any of us is the ball or apple of our eye. Lord, keep me, saith David as the apple of thine eye. There is no part of the body more tender then the eye. The least moat of dust, that getteth into it, is very troublesome to it. It is well observed, that the Ministers of the Word, being as the eyes of the Church, are inhibited all intanglement with worldly affairs and employments, because though the hands and the feet may without any great inconvenience be deaiing with the dust, and paddling in the dirt, yet the eye cannot▪ without damage or danger admit ought of either. Now, as there is no part of the body more tender then the eye: so there is no part, whereof we are more tender then of it. as deer unto us, we use to say, as our eyes. and to express our entire affection to some, we could be content to bestow our eyes on them. So deer to each one is his eye ; and that part of it more especially, wherein the sight consists, and in regard whereof the eye is esteemed so precious a piece, because that failing, the creature together with the sight losing all use of light, is as one adjudged to a perpetual night, condemned to live thenceforth all his life long in a dark dungeon. Neither indeed is there any part almost of the body, that nature, or the God of Nature rather, hath so carefully guarded and curiously fenced against all manner of emergent dangers. For besides the several films, as so many inward fences, with the humors as waters enclosed between them; there is without as a strong wall of hard bone round about it, to secure it against the violence of anymore forcible matter; and over that the eye-lids as curtains ready to be drawn over it upon occasion of ought making towards it, that may impeach or molest it; and those fringed also with a double set of short hair, that may neither hinder its prospect, and yet may help to shroud and shelter it, by keeping off such slighter and lighter occurrence, as might casually annoy it. Now like to this precious part of man, the eye : and to that more precious part of that part, the ball, or apple of the eye, that is so curiously guarded, doth David desire to be with God, in regard of his tender care over him, his constant providence and continual protection of him. And such doth God himself profess his to be unto him; and his care therefore of them and affection to them consequently to be such, as ours is wont to be of that part which we so pretiously esteem. Such it had been towards this people from the first. For so Moses in his song penned, by God's own appointment, to mind them of his mercies and favors shown them; He led them, and kept them, as the apple of his eye. And such he promiseth it should be to the last towards them. I will, saith he, be unto Jerusalem, as a wall of fire round about her. he saith not, a wall of stone, or of steel, as one well observeth; though that might seem to imply safety and security sufficient: but a wall of fir • ; such as may not only secure her, but anno them that assault her, may both fright them afar off, and destroy them at hand. And yet further, because intestine evils may spring up; and those many times prove more dangerous then any from without: My glory, saith God, that is, my glorious presence shall be in the midst of her. and if God be in the midst of her, she cannot be moved. she cannot but be safe; she cannot miscarry by any evil whatsoever, either from within or from without. And what is the reason why God is so careful and chary of the safety of his people? For he that toucheth you, saith he, toucheth the apple of mine eye. He makes choice of the tenderest part of man's body, and that which men are most tender of, thereby to show and assure that he is as much agreeved and offended with the least grievance that is offered to any of his, as the least touch of the eye, or eye-sight is offensive unto us. and he sendeth his messeng • r therefore to the Nations round about them, to warn them to take heed how they attempt ought against her, lest they bring mischief thereby upon themselves.

6. They are his Spouse, whom he hath contracted himself unto, to be unto them as their husband, as their head, I will espouse thee unto me, saith the Lord by Hosea, in judgment, in justice, in faithfulness, in loving kindness, and in much mercy. and, He that made thee, thy Creator, saith Isaiah, will marry thee. Now the husband, saith the Apostle, is the head of the wife, as Christ is of the Church. and his office is to protect her, as Christ doth it, being the Savior of his body. What kind husband can endure to see his wife wronged? or can without grief and discontent behold that done, that shall vex and grieve her? no, her grief is his; yea it is more his. then if it were personally his own. Nor is God therefore less chary and tender of his Church, and the welfare thereof; then any the kindest husband of his dearest wife, and of her comfort and contentment. In all their afflictions, saith the Prophet, he was afflicted. it was an affliction to him to see them afflicted. and his soul was grieved, saith the story, he was grieved at the very heart, to see the grievance, or the misery of Israel ; to see what a calamitous estate they were in at present, through the cruelty of the enemy, into whose hands they had been sold for their sins.

7 They are his Turtle. for that also would not be omitted. O deliver not, saith the Psalmist, or, give not up the soul of thy Turtle, (that is, the life of it, or thy Turtle simply: for it is oft times no more then so; as where it is said, How many be they, that say to my soul? that is as much as, to me: save that it makes the speech the more emphatical by such an affectionate expression) unto the troop ; (to wit, of her adversaries that are ready to seize on her, or that have seized on her already, in whose hands she now is) or unto the wild beast, the beasts of the field : unto such ravenous beasts as are wont to prey upon such feeble fowl as is the Turtle and the like; unto which fierce and fell creatures the Churches enemies are here, and elsewhere oft, compared. The Prophet Nathan, to bring David about by a sleight to a sight of the grievousness of his sin, in taking Uriah's wife away from him; telleth him a tale of a poor man, that had a Cade-lamb, brought up by hand, which he was so taken with, that he used to feed it at his tabl • , and lay it in his lap ; and of a rich man, that took this poor man's lamb, and killed it, to entertain his guest therewith: thereby implying, what a wrong men would take it to be, to see any sorry creature wronged, or to have it taken from them, wherein they take such delight. And I might well appeal, to those, either rich, or poor, but the former especially, that keep for pleasure, Turtles, or Finches, or Linnets, or Nightingales, and the like, be they for singing or sight desired; how chary they are wont to be of them, how careful to cage them, and keep them in places of security, out of the reach of such ravenous creatures, as Cats, or the like, that would otherwise be dealing with them; and how they are wont to take it, when through the malice of any ill-affected to them, or the neglect of those that have charge of them, any mischief befalleth them. such a matter as that hath sometime cost a man no less then his life. And so is it here. God's Church is his Turtle, his Dove, much more deer to him, then any such toys (for so in comparison I may well term them) are or can be with those, that do most affect them, and set the highest rate on them: and is consequently as chary, yea more chary of his, then any man or woman is, or can be of any such creature, which they are most taken with, and wherein they most delight.

Lastly, they are his people: the people, with whom he hath entered into covenant, whom he hath taken into his protection. they are his servants, and he their liege Lord ; they are his subjects, and he their Sovereign. Now it is the honor of a King to protect his people : the office of a Sovereign to secure his subjects from violence and wrong. Yea a good King accounteth himself wronged in the wrong of his people, nor can he with patience endure to see that done whereby any, even the meanest of them, is unjustly molested and injured. He shall judge, saith the Psalmist, that is, judge for, right and avenge, the wronged poor of the people: he shall deliver the needy, and him that hath no helper: he shall save their souls, that is, their lives ; and redeem, or rescue, them from fraud and violence: he shall protect them against all damage and danger, that by any injurious course, either of circumvention or oppression, in regard of their poverty and inabi • ity, they may at any time be exposed unto: and precious shall their blood be be in his sight. no drop of their blood, but he shall set an high rate on it, and make those therefore pay full dearly for it, that shall, either draw, or even attempt to draw it. And surely if earthly Princes, who are but God's vicegerents and ministers, either are, or ought to be so affected towards those, who being indeed God's people, are by him committed to their care and charge : how much more is God himself thus affected to his people, of whose safety and welfare he requireth them to be so cautious? that which is there spoken being in deed and truth but a type of that, the truth whereof is most eminently found and fulfilled in him. He it is indeed, that helpeth those to right that suffer wrong ; and • hat then also when those that should here do it, refuse to right them, or in steed of righting them, do themselves wrong them. that executeth judgment in the behalf of his oppressed ones. and of whom it is avowed, that the death, and the blood, consequently, of his Saints is precious in his sight. And surely if the tears of God's people, that by such courses are wrung from them, are so precious in his esteem, that he is said to reserve them by him, as in a bottle: no marvel if their blood be precious in his sight, if he set an high rate on every drop of it. Thou countest my wanderings, or flittings, saith David; put my tears into thy bottle: are they not entered in thy book? yes, (e) this I know. I am assured that so it is. as if he had said, there is never a step that I take, when through the wrongful and violent persecution of mine adversaries, I am enforced to (f) fly and flit from place to place, but thou takest notice of, and keepest a due account of it. and if thou keepest so exact an account of my steps, then sure thou canst not but take as exact a tale of my tears. thou hast a bottle for the one, and a a book for both. there is never a tear that I shed, that falleth besides the one; never a step that I take in these my flittings to and fro, but that together with each tear that I shed, stands registered, as upon record, in the other.

Thus then have we seen the point confirmed unto us, by reasons drawn from those relations that such persons have to God: we pass on to such Arguments as may be taken from God's Attributes ; from the nature of God, and his disposition, as towards all in general, so more specially toward those, whom in a more special and peculiar manner he hath taken to be his.

First then, God is a just and a righteous God. To show that God is just; and there is no unrighteousness with him. And as he is a just and a righteous God; so he loveth righteousness. The righteous Lord, saith the Psalmist, loveth righteousness. and indeed he were not righteous, if he loved not righteousness. he that loveth not righteousness, is not truly righteous, though he may deal righteously. Again, as he loveth righteousness, so he hateth unrighteousness, Thou lovest righteousness; and hatest wickedness. the one followeth necessarily upon the other. and, Thou art a God, that delightest not in wickedness: but hatest all wrong-doers; and abhorrest all bloody and deceitful persons. and The Lord trieth, that is, upon trial approves of, the righteous: but the wicked and such as love and delight in iniquity, his soul hateth ; he abhorreth them from his heart. And as his countenance therefore doth behold the upright, to wit, with approbation and delight: so he is of purer eyes then to behold evil, or to look upon iniquity, but with detestation and dislike His eyes behold the sons of men ; of all sorts, as well bad as good ; and his eye-lids try them ; with their ways and courses. but the one to approve them and preserve them, the other to testify his dislike of their practices, by the destruction of their persons.

2. He is a jealous God. as a just and righteous, so a jealous God; jealous of his own glory, his reputtaion, his credit, his honor. Now it is no small dishonor and disgrace to a Prince, if he shall see and suffer his subjects to be wronged, and do not right them, whether it be, because he cannot, or though he can, because he will not, much more: there is a note of impotency lying upon him in the one; a blot, which is far worse, of iniquity in the other. Nor doth God's honor seem to be less engaged, and to lie at the stake, when his own people are in his own sight and presence oppressed. We have been, say they, so and so in thy sight. My people, saith he, are oppressed: and my name is blasphemed. and, My holy name was profaned by the Nations, among whom my people was dispersed, in that they said of them, These are God's people; and yet are gone out of his land.

And indeed in sundry respects doth the honor of God suffer in such cases.

1. In regard of his power, as if he were not able to protect or deliver his. I had said (saith God, of this people, when having brought them out of Egypt, they proved disobedient and rebellious) that I would pour out my fury upon them for their rebellious courses, and destroy them utterly in the wilderness; and I had so done, but that I had respect to my Name, that it might not be polluted before the Heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. And when the host of Israel had received a repulse before Ai, Oh Lord, (saith Joshua in his complaint of it to God) what shall I say, when Israel turneth the back before his enemies? For when the Canaanites, and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, they will beset us on every side, and cut us clean off; and what. wilt thou do to thy great name? what will become of thine honor? how much will it be impaired thereby? and how will it be again repaired? And if it be demanded in what regard God's. name would have been so polluted, and his honor so blemished, either in the one case, or in the other; Moses will enform us, where pleading with God in the behalf of his people, when he threatened to destroy them, They will say, saith he, that therefore thou slewest them in the wilderness, because thou wast▪ not able to bring them into that land, which thou hadst sworn to bestow upon them. and the like would they have said, had he suffered them to be destroyed by the inhabitants of the land. To which effect also was that taunting speech of those other Nations, among whom in the time of their captivity they were scattered, wherein God himself professeth that his name was profaned, These are his people; and yet gone out of his land, as if God had not been able to keep them in it, albeit he had given them possession of it, because he suffered them to be dispossessed of it again. And you know well, who it was that said to those the Lord's three stout champions, What God is able to deliver you out of my hand? as being prone to presume, that it must needs be for want of power on God's part, if they were not delivered, who had hazarded their lives in this cause.

2. God's name suffereth in such ease, in regard of his purity and holiness. as if he were a God, that liked well enough of iniquity, at least misliked not such wicked courses. These things, saith he, thou diddest; and because I held my peace, and held my hand; (for God's silence there, as elsewhere, is no other then his forbearing, either to stay their hand, and restrain their rage and riot, or by his revenging hand to make them know how he stands affected therewith) thou thoughtest, that I was like unto thee ; thou supposedst me to be such another as thyself. Yea they stick not to say, when they scape scot-free, and thrive with their sinful courses, that any one that doth evil, is good in God's eyes, is accepted with God; and that he delighteth in such, he liketh well enough of them. or where is the God of judgment? he would else execute judgment upon them, and thereby manifest himself to be otherwise minded.

3. In regard of his providence, as if he did not see, or regard, and take notice, what is done here on earth, They break thy people in pieces, O Lord; and make havoc of thine heritage: they slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless: such as God hath more specially taken into his protection, and are as sanctuary persons. and when they so do, because they are suffered to do so, they say, The Lord seeth it not; the God of Jacob regards it not. God is aloft in the heavens, that are far higher then the stars ; and much more then above the clouds. and how can he then descry and discern through the dark passage that lieth between us and him, what is done by men here below? the thick clouds so hide him, that he cannot see them, while he walks his round in heaven.

4. In regard of his justice, as if he would never call them to any account, for that which he did not reckon with them for at the present. While thou, Lord, saith the Psalmist, standest aloof of ; and doest not show forth, but hidest thyself in these troublesome times▪ the wicked doth with insolency eagerly pursue the oppressed ; and what by privy plotting, what by open violence, makes a prey and a spoil of them. and he saith in his heart ; he thinks the whiles with himself, that God hath forgotten: he thinketh not on the poor, whom he so oppresseth: he hideth his face from them; as they complain that he doth: he will never see, or look after them; much less call him to account, for ought that he doth to them. For so it followeth in the Psalm; Arise, O Lord ; to relieve the oppressed: lift up thine hand ; to smite their oppressors: forget not the afflicted ; though men suppose thou so doest. For why should the wicked man reproach God, while he saith in his heart, that thou wilt not require it?

Thus doth God suffer in his name by his suffrance of such▪ at whose hands his people suffer. and how can it be then, that, being so jealous of his honor as he is, he should endure to see that, but with much detestation and dislike, whereby his honor is so much, and so many ways either imp • ached or impaired?

3. God is a faithful God. faithful and true, in his promises to his; faithful and firm, in his affection towards them.

I have loved you ; saith the Lord to his people though they ungratiously and ungratefully, yea shamefully, or shamelessly rather, demand of him, wherein he had loved them ; that is, shown any love to them. when as yet in truth he had so beset them with the fruits of his love, so environed them on every side with the effects of it, that which way soever they should turn themselves, they could no sooner draw their eye-lids asunder, but great variety of such objects would offer themselves to their eye-sight, as might be evident arguments of his love to them more then ordinary. And this love of God to his, is no fickle, but a constant love. whom he loves once, he loves ever. His, that he loved, saith the Evangelist, he loved to the last. and, I have loved thee, saith God by the Prophet to his people, with a love ever-lasting. Now those that love entirely, cannot endure to see the least wrong done to those, whom so entirely they affect. and much less God 〈◊〉 those whom so entirely, so constantly he loveth. How was he displeased with Aaron and 〈◊〉 but for murmuring and 〈◊〉 somewhat against Moses, and manifested his displeasure as by checking them both, so by smiting the one though in regard of his place of high-priesthood 〈◊〉 spared the other, with that foul disease of leprosy, that excluded from all society, as well civil as sacred. Nor could she be restored, but upon Moses his entreaty; and not then neither instantly. she must be taught by the delay of her recovery to learn, what it was to murmur or mutter ought against Moses. And God's wrath, it is said, was incensed against Job's three friends, (though otherwise, for ought that appears in the story of them, good men) for the wrong they had done him in their over-harsh censures past on him. nor would God be pacified and reconciled again to them. until they had reconciled themselves to him; until they had satisfied him, and he made suit for them. Let my servant Job, saith he, pray for you; and then I will accept you.

Again, as he loves his entirely and constantly, so he hath, out of this this love to them by promise engaged himself, to be ever procuring of their good. It is one branch of his covenant with them▪ (and as his love, so his covenant, it is everlasting; nor is there any God herein like him, that keepeth word and covenant so as he doth with his ) that he will never cease from doing them good. yea that he will rejoice over them, to do them good. it shall be his greatest joy, the joy of his heart, to see them do well, and to be doing them good. As elsewhere also he is said to delight and take pleasure, in the prosperity of his people. And surely he that rejoiceth in doing them good, cannot but be grieved, to see evil done them whom it is his joy to do good unto. He that delights and takes pleasure in their prosperity and welfare, cannot but be grieved in and at their afflictions and adversity, and incensed against those by whom any such evil befalleth them.

4. God is a merciful God. a God abundant, and rich in mercy. One that loves mercy, that likes it, that delights in it. What God is there saith the Prophet, like unto thee▪ pardoning iniquity, and passing by the transgressions of the remnant of thy people? he doth not retain his anger forever▪ because he delights in mercy. And, I am the Lord, saith he. that exercise, mercy, justice, and judgment: for in these things I delight. I delight both to do them, and to see them done. Now this is the peculiar nature and property of mercy, that it makes men sensible of other men's sufferings ; makes them to be affected with the afflictions of others, even as if they were their own. Yea thence mercy hath its name, and is so called, because by it men take to heort the miseries of others, and do in some sort even partake with them therein. And as to cruel and merciless persons it is a pleasure to behold the pains of men in torture: so to merciful men it is a pain to see men in pain ▪ they feel what they behold in others; they suffer what they see. You have endured, saith the Apostle to the faithful Hebrews, a great conflict of sufferings; partly being made a gazing stock (as being brought yourselves on the stage) by reproaches and pressures; and partly by being partakers with others that were in like manner used; and by suffering together with me in my bonds. and Remember those, saith the same Apostle, that are in bonds, as if yourselves were in bonds with them; and those that are ill entreated, hardly used, as being yourselves also in the body ; and liable therefore to the like. Yea, I may well say as being in the same body, as well with the one, as in the same bonds with the other. For men of tender bowels, pitiful persons, do many times by compassion endure as much, sometime more, then those do, that do personally suffer; and are more affected and afflicted with the pains and sufferings of others▪ then are they themselves that suffer them. What I endure, (saith a Noble Lady to her husband under Claudius condemned to die, and by her own voluntary act dying with him) paineth me not; that paineth me that thou endurest. Nor is it unlikely, but that he might well have quitted her with the like language, had his courage been equal. Certainly for Zedekiah to have his sons slain in his sight, might well be more bitter to him, then it was unto them; who might rather have wished to have been slain before them, then to have survived to see that cruel execution done on them. Is it thus then with men? and is it not so with God? Sure of Christ it is said, that he is such an High-priest, as hath a fellow-feeling of our infirmities. being, though freed now from feeling, yet not free from fellow-feeling ; and though now above all passion, yet not void of compassion. For though he suffer not now in himself, yet he suffereth in his. Saul, Saul, saith he, why dost thou persecute me ? and, J was hungry, and ye gave not me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink: I was naked, and ye clad me not; sick & ye prison, & in visited me not. He is affected with what they feel, as if he suffered it in them, who professeth himself to suffer hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and sickness, and imprisonment in them: and who to Saul complains of the persecution of his Saints, as the persecution of himself. I am Jesus, saith he, whom thou persecutest. Yea of God himself it is affirmed, as before we shown, that in the afflictions of his people he himself was afflicted. or, because that place admitteth a double reading, and to some therefore may seem doubtful; take that other place out of the holy History above also mentioned where when the Philistines and Ammonites grievously oppressed God's people, it is said that his soul was grieved for the grievance of Israel. It grieved him to the very heart to see them so grieved ; their grievance went to the very heart with him. I am not ignorant that these and the like are figurative and metaphorical expressions, taken from man's weakness, and used for the help of man's weakness, thereby to decipher to us such a disposition in God, that is yet wholly free and far from all taint and tang of such weakness, as they intimate in us. Howbeit, sure it is, that that God, who thus expresseth himself to be affected with the wrongs and sufferings of his Saints, cannot but with exceeding much dislike and displicence see and behold ought, wherewith he professeth himself so to be affected. A merciful God cannot endure any merciless carriage in man to man; and much less towards those, whom among men he most affecteth, Ye shall not afflict any widow, or any fatherless child: if any wise ye do, and they cry unto me, J will surely hear their cry, and my wrath shall be incensed: and I will slay you with the Sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. And why will God be so fierce and fiery against such as so do? the reason followeth a little after; though inferred on a less matter, the oppressing of the poor by retaining his pledge. When he crieth to me I will hear, for I am merciful. and as I love mercy, therefore; so I abhor cruelty ; and will execute judgment without mercy on merciless men. There shall be judgment without mercy, saith the Apostle, unto those that show no mercy to others.

Add hereunto, that, albeit it be no injustice to pay cruel men in their own coin, ( it is no cruelty, saith one, if such be cru • lly dealt with, as have dealt cruelly with others. ) Yea it is not unjustly deemed sometime, a kind, not of injustice only, but of cruelty, to spare such, and not to proceed with severity against them: Yet are merciful men wont to be moved with compassi • n even towards those that so suffer ; though they suff •• nothing, but what others have before suff • red from them, and what themselves by such their doings have well deserved. Even the pains that malefactors suffer by the hand of justice are no pleasing object to a merciful man's eye. Tears have been seen to fall from the Judge when he was to sentence such, in commiseration of the delinquent, though in consideration of his offense he were constrained to pass on him an heavy doom. Nor is it otherwise with God. when the whole world was so deeply defiled with sin, that it could not be cleansed but by a general deluge, as it repented God, that he had made man ; so it grieved him at the heart, to consider with himself, that he must now destroy man again, whom he had so made. And when, by execution of justice, he cometh to • ase himself of his adversaries, and to take away as dross the scummy part of his people, that the residue may be the purer, he goeth about it as with grief. And when he had sold his people into the hands of their enemies, though they suffered justly for their sins; nevertheless, saith the Psalmist, be considered, he took to heart, their affliction, when he heard their cry, and remembering his covenant, according to the multitude of his mercies, he repented him of the evil, that he had inflicted on them for their sin.

In a word, God delighteth in doing good: thou art good, saith he, and dost good: ) that is most agreeable to his nature. and he is therefore called the father of mercies ; though the God also of vengeance ; as if that flowed most naturally from him, he hath it at home, as I may so say, from himself. but he delights not in punishing : that is forced as it were from him, and he forced upon it; the occasion, and first motive to it ariseth from without, it cometh from the creature. He punisheth not from the heart ; or, with the heart. he goeth not about it with a good will. it is a grief to him, to be grievous to us: it is a pain to him to be punishing of us. He delighteth not, (himself swears it) in the death of the sinner ; whom he would rather have to repent and return, than to go on and suffer for his sin. And if it vex and grieve him, even to see wicked ones perish ; or if to see his own suffer, though deservedly, for their sins; how much more tenderly is he affected with those afflictions that his people wrongfully endure from the hatred and malice of wicked men?

All which laid together, whether we shall consider the sundry relations and tials that God's people have unto God, or the affection and disposition that he beareth unto them; we cannot but conclude, that he cannot endure, without much dislike and displeasure, to behold any wrong or grievance done unto them.

The Doctrine it self then being thus grounded and made good, an Objection or two would be answered, ere we pass to the use of it.

For first, may some say, these relations that you here mention, and the dispositions that you speak of, are such as concern only the faithful ; nor can any other then such lay any just claim thereunto: whereas the passage of Scripture you treat of, is by yourself affirmed to extend itself unto the whole body of that people of whom it was uttered, consisting of both sorts, as well unfaithful as faithful, as well bad as good.

To this I answer, first, that even those wicked and unfaithful ones, being members of the body politick of that people, which at that time was God's Church, yea his only visible Church, for ought we know; were as the dross that is mixed with the good metal, while it remaineth yet unrefined; as the chaff that lieth blended with the grain, while it abideth in the floor ; as the weeds, that grow until harvest time, among the bread-corn in the field. And as the metalist keeps carefully the whole lump together, consisting of dross and good metal, until it be tried, not for the dross sake, but for the good oar, with which it lieth in one lump ; and the husbandman diligently fenceth the field, wherein corn and weeds grow together, not for the weeds, but for the corn, among which they grow; and hath a care of the whole heap, though containing, it may be, more chaff, then pure grain, until the fan or screen have severed the one from the other, not for the chaff sake, but for the grain, wherewith it lieth mingled in one heap: so doth God's care and compassion extend itself to the whole body of his people, though consisting of mixed multitudes; (not unlike the fi • ld that hath weeds in it as well as good corn ; and the (g) d • ag-net, that draweth along with it as well trash as good fish ;) not so much in regard of those unsound ones among them, as in respect to the better sort among whom they abide. He that (l) blessed Laban's house, though an idolater, for Jacob ; and Potipher's ▪ though an uncircumcised Egyptian, for Iaseph ; doth preserve and protect such wicked ones as live mixed among his in one body with them, out of his tender respect unto those among whom they live. Pray for, and seek, saith he, the peace of the place ye abide in. for by the peace of it shall ye have peace. If God afford continued peace unto Babel, for his own people's peace, that lived, though as captives and exiles, among them, that they might be the quieter: no marvel, if he afford safeguard unto those bad ones, that are as imbarked in the same ship with his Saints; (the Lord, saith the Angel to Paul, hath given thee the lives of all that sail with thee. ) whereas good and bad so embarked, are like to endure the same storms, to enjoy the same calms, and to be either wrecked or saved, either with other. Evil, saith the Psalmist, shall hunt the violent dealer to destruction. The whole heard, ye know, is oft hunted, till the game be singled. and as God's wrath may pursue a whole State for one Abimelech ; a whole Army for one Achan ; a whole Fleet for one Jonah. so on the other side, a whole City may be saved fought one Lot, a whole State of bad for some ten good, yea for but one or two righteous. God remembered Noah, and the cattle, and every living thing that was with him in the Ark. God for our sakes takes care even of our cattle, and of our chattels. yea not the Israelites cattle only, but even the wild beasts themselves also fared the better, for the people of God, while they passed through the wilderness; making use of, and receiving benefit by, those springs and streams of water, that for God's people were broke up and sent abroad to relieve and refresh them in their passage. Many benefits do the wicked share in with the good, that were principally intended for the good, while they remain and abide as in one body with them.

Secondly, I answer, that even those evil and unsound ones, though no covenant-keepers, yet are in covenant with God; and in regard of outward profession, of the number of God's people. My people, saith God, have forgotten me, days without number, time out of mind. and My people have exchanged their glory for a thing of no use. or, that cannot profit, that can do them no good, can stand them in no steed. his people he calleth them still, though they had forgotten him, though they had exchanged him for an idol. And albeit such by their sinful courses do make forfeiture of their right to and interest in those privileges, that appertain to God's faithful people ; yet God doth not always instantly take advantage of that their forfeiture, but continueth his mercy and goodness even to such, notwithstanding their ill desert. Tho Joas the son of Iehoabaz did that that was evil in God's sight, and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, that made Israel to sin, but went on obstinately therein; yet when Hazael the Aramite oppressed Israel, God was gracious to them, and had respect unto them, for his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and would not destroy them, nor cast them out of his presence and protection as yet. And albeit Ier • boam the second his son, took the same courses, and brought on himself the like judgments; yet when God saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; and that there was not any shut up or left ; scarce any left either in hold, or abroad; either under restraint, or left at large; nor any helper to Israel ; as no power from within, so no aid from without; and he had not resolved yet to blot out the name of Israel from under Heaven, to make an utter riddance of them: he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam ; by the ministry of an ungodly King he delivered an ungodly people.

Now thus dealeth God also oft times in regard of his own honor, that seems nearly to be touched, when those that are deemed his, and are esteemed to have relation unto him, are left and given up to the wicked, who acknowledge not him, unto whom they profess, and are deemed to belong. My name, saith God, is blasphemed, while my people is oppressed. and, These, say they in derision, though captived for their sin, are God's people, that are gone out of his Land. When the Syrian King came with a very puissant army against Ahab (though an idolater, and one that had sold himself to sin, yet) being King then of Israel, still accounted God's people; Doest thou see, saith God by his messenger to him, this great multitude? I will deliver them all this day into thine hand. that it may be known, that I am the Lord. and so accordingly he did. And again, when the Syrians told their Lord, that the God of Israel is God of the, hills ▪ (for so we may well read the words by good warrant from God himself) but not of the plain: and that this was the reason why they prevailed against them when the battle was fought on the hills ; but they should be sure to have the better of them, if they fought with them on the plain ; God sends Ahab a second message, because the Syrians say, The Lord is God of the hills, but not God of the valleys; therefore will I deliver this great multitude into thine hands: and it shall be known that I am the Lord. God would save them, though wicked ones, and unworthy of ought and give them victory against their blasphemous enemies; to save, his own credit, and maintain his own honor.

Hereunto may be added, that even for their profession, men, though not inwardly sound, yet may outwardly suffer. Men may persecute piety even where it is not, in an hypocrite: and wrong Christ even in those, who in truth are none of his, nor have part in him: and dishonor God in those, whom he doth not own, or acknowledge, because false-hearted, or loose-lived. A man may suffer for wearing a Noble man's livery, though but bought at the brokers, if he fall into the hands of some adverse party: and a servant or retainer in like case fare the worse for having his Masters cloth or cognizance about him; though he have been for his misdemeanors discharged of his service ; and much more, if though being in no grace or favor at all with him, he do yet retain, or profess himself to retain still un • o him. In like manner may a man suffer, yea many so do, as well inwardly rotten-hearted, as outwardly debauched, for the profession they make of piety, and for pretending to that interest in God, which yet in truth they have not. whom God may therefore, and doth oft afford protection unto, in regard not only that they suffer wrongfully, being out of malice oppugned, but that himself suffereth in them, being therefore maligned, because they are esteemed to have some special relation to him.

In these respects therefore it may truly be said, that God cannot, but with a wrathful eye, endure to see wrongs and reproaches offered unto the main body of his people, though there be many among them, that have no such special interest in him, as the better sort of them have, whom he principally respecteth, but either profess, or are deemed only, in truth to be his.

But again it may be objected, that God is oft read to have delivered up his people into the hands of their enemies ; yea to have left his, even the best of them, such as have been highest in his favor and deepest in his books unto the malice and cruelty of their inhumane adversaries. hence those grievous complaints of God's people, that God had sold them for naught, made them a reproach and scorn to their neighbors round about them, that for his sake they were daily, or incessantly slaughtred ; and that all this they had endured, while he stood by and looked on, as if he regarded not, either them, or the cruelty exercised on them. and how then, may some say, is it affirmed, that God cannot endure to see any wrong done to his?

To this, in way of answer thereunto, we return; first, that God oft times suffereth such things to befall his servants for their sins ; and makes use of wicked men, as of scourges, to chastise his children with for their excesses. In which his dealing he hath an eye, not to them alone, whom he doth so chastise, nor to those alone, whose good also in such his chastisements he intendeth, while he maketh those whom he so chastiseth, examples of more cautious and circumspect carriage to others; but he hath an eye also to himself, and to his own credit. For howsoever it is true indeed, as hath been said, that wicked men take occasion to question his power and his providence over his, when they see them so to suffer: yet it would redound much more to his dishonor another way, if he should suffer those, that are esteemed his people, his servants, his children, to go unpunished, or unchastised, when they sin. for should he so do, he would be deemed to be a patron of impiety, of impurity, of iniquity; a maintainer of his in the practice of such things. And surely, as God's name is oft dishonored by the sufferings of his servants; so much more also by their sins. Because, saith Nathan to David, thou hast set light by God's word, in taking the wife of Uriah, and slaying him by the sword of the children of Ammon; therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; and I will raise up one out of thine own bowels, that shall abuse thy wives in the sight of all Israel. and again, because thou hast hereby given the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme, the child that was born in adultery shall surely die. Neither could David with all his fasting and prayer, and more then ordinary humiliation, get that heavy doom revoked.

Howbeit, though for such and other the like causes, God gave the wicked sometime power over his; yet the cruelty that in such cases they exercise on his people, is not in regard thereof any whit the less odious and offensive in God's sight; as himself also expressly avoweth. O Assur, saith he▪ or, Woe to Assur, the rod of my wrath ; the rod, wherewith in my wrath I have chastised my people▪ though the staf of mine indignation be in their hand, albeit I make use of him at present as an instrument, for mine own ends and purposes, in the execution of my wrath, yet woe be to him for all that. I shall send him indeed aga • nst a profane Nation, a people whom I am displ • ased with ; furnished with a commission to take the spoil and the prey; and to trea • them down, like mire in the street. but he meaneth not so ; he minds nothing less; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off Nations not a few. his entendement is only to advance himself, and to enlarge his dominions, by the ruins of other people. he little dreameth of doing God any service herein. and when God therefore hath by him wrought his own work upon Zion, he will then punish him also for his proud and stout heart, and his high looks. when he hath done chastising his children by him, he will throw the rod, wherewith he chastised them, into the fire. And of Babel; I was wroth with my people; and gave them into thine hands: and thou shewedst them no mercy; but even upon the aged, not regarding their age, didst thou lay an heavy yoke ▪ Thus Israel became as a scattered sheep: the Lions chased him: first Assur wasted him; and after that the King of Babel brake his very bones. But what followeth? Therefore th •• saith the Lord • f hosts, the God of Israel ; even he that delivered them into the hands of either, Behold, as I punished the King of Assur; so will I punish the King of Babel. and Woe then to him that spoiled, when himself was not spoiled: for when he shall cease to spoil others, others shall spoil him. and as Babel hath served herself on other nations, and God's people among the rest, so ma • y nations shall serve themselves on Babel. when as God hath used them for executioners of his wrath and indignation upon others: so will he use others as instruments of his just judgment upon them, even for those things that by his just judgment, though to them unknown, they have done. nor could God with approbation see that done by them, for which he will in due time execute just judgment upon them.

Secondly, God leaveth his sometime to the malice and cruelty of the enemy, for the trial and exercise of his grace in them. For sundry graces of God's children, as their faith, their patience, their courage, their confidence, are as the stars, that lie hid in the day, but shine forth in the night. appear not, to speak of, in times of prosperity ; but have their chief luster in times of adversity and trouble, do most appear, when they are most opposed. The light of fire is least seen by day: and the pillar therefore that conducted the Israelites in their march, appeared as a cloud by day, as fire by night. and the fire burneth dimmest, when the sun shineth most upon it. Nor is the Physicians skill known in time of health; nor the Mariners skill seen in a calm ; nor the Soldiers valor and worth, in times of peace, when he is out of action; nor any man's patience unless he be crossed ; nor his courage, until he meet with some strong opposition, until he be put to some straight. Ye have heard of Jobs patience ; saith the Apostle. but we had never heard of it, had Job always continued in the same constant tenor of a quiet and comfortable estate, had he never been laid so low, & so afflicted as he was, by the malice of Satan, and the unkind carriage of his friends. But on the other side, the darker the room is, the clearer the candle burneth, and the brighter the fire : the more dangerous and desperate the disease is, the more is the Physicians art manifested in the cure of it: the more violent and impetuous the storm is, the more is the Mariners skill shown, in carrying his ship through it with safety: the hotter the fight or service is, the more will the valor of the soldier appear, in his standing constantly and undauntedly to it, whatsoever the issue be: the heavier the cross, and the greater the danger, the more is the patience and courage of that man seen, that shall quietly bear and undergo the one, and that shall cheerfully and confidently carry himself in the other. the greater Jobs sufferings and distresses were, the more evidently, and eminently did the excellency of his heroik spirit shine and show itself forth in them.

Again, as the spirits of men are not seen so much as in such cases; so nor are they tried so thoroughly as by occasions of this kind. There is no trial of a soldier, whether he be courageous or a coward, but in the field, and in fight. the veriest dastard can at court, and in company word it and brave it, as well as the stoutest and valiantest champion that is. but bring them to action ; and that will soon distinguish them, and determine, if any be, the doubt. Nor is the sincerity of men's hearts to Godward, so thoroughly by ought tried, as by constant standing in times of opposition and persecution, to his cause. The blade on the stony ground, makes as fair a show, though it have no deep rooting, as that that is well rooted in the good ground, until the height of summer come; but then the beat of the sun shining forth in his strength, parcheth up the one, when it impaireth not, but cherisheth the other. The chaff stayeth together with the grain in the floor, until the winowing time come; but then the wind of the fan or sheet carrieth the light chaff away; and it flies before it out of the floor, when as the grain having weight stayeth and abideth still by it. Earthen pots guilt over, when they stand on the cup-board among massy plate, may not be discerned the one from the other by the eye: but when they come to the scouring, being rubbed to the purpose, the one, its surface failing, will show what it is, when as the other will be sure to appear still the same that before it made show of. drossy and base stuff oft makes as fair and goodly a show as rich oar ; and counterfeit slips, as currant coin ; until they come to the test the one, to the touch-stone the other. When the Devil accused Job to God for a counterfeit; How will that, saith God, appear? why? It is not for nothing that he feareth thee, saith Satan. he serveth thee now, but to serve his turn upon thee. thou hast enriched him; and heapest still more and more upon him: and thou hast hedged him in; set such a strong fence about him and his estate, that nothing can break in upon him to disturb or annoy him. and no marvel then, if he be willing to serve so bountiful a master, to live in obedience to so careful and powerful a protector. he knows not how, or where to mend himself. but shouldest thou but once offer to stay thine hand, or to stretch it out on ought that thou hast bestowed on him, to touch him never. so little in any part of his estate ; as he is now but an hireling, so he would then prove a changeling ; thou shouldest then soon see a strange change and alteration in him; he would curse thee as fast, as he bl • sseth thee now; he would even curse thee to thy face. Well; God, as Jobs advocate is content to join issue with the Devil herein: Let that, saith he, be the trial. his estate and his person are both in thine hand. do the worst thou canst to him; not bereaving him of his life. And what saith Job himself of all this? God, saith he, knows me, and tries me: and when I have been tried in the furnace of affliction, I shall come out of all my tribulations, as gold, as precious metal (and indeed so he did) out of the furnace, out of the fire. And, Thou, Lord, hast tried us, saith the, Psalmist, 〈◊〉 silver is tried. and how had he tried them? Thou broughtest us into a net: thou laiedst a straight, or wringing girt upon our loins: thou suffredst us to be girt as beasts are wont to be, that bear burdens, to be used as pack-horses or the like: thou hast caused men to ride over our heads ▪ caused us to be used as hackney-horses, over whose head his rider sits reaching out himself to manage him; or as Camels, on whose neck they are said sometime to sit, that rule and direct them: we have gone through fire and water. Thou hast tried us with all manner of tribulation; and upon trial found us sound and sincere. For, though all this have befallen us, (as elsewhere they profess) th • thou hast cast us off, and puttest us to shame; and goest not forth with our h • asts; but makest us turn our back upon our enemies, and sufferest those that hate us to plunder and spoil us; hast given us as sheep for meat, and dispersed us among the heathen; hast sold us for naught, and exposed us to shame and scorn: hast broken us, and cast us down into the deep, where the Whales abide, there to be in all likelihood either drownd, or by them devoured; and covered us with a deadly shade ; with darkness so thick, or a shadow so dark, that the very horror and dread wherewith it possesseth men, is enough to damp their spirits, and to strike them stone-dead: yea though for thy sake we are daily, or continually, slaughtered; no other reckoning being made of us, th • n as of sheep, not kept for their milk and fleece, but set apart for the shambles: yet for all this do we not forget thee, albeit thou seemest to have forgotten us; nor do we deal disloyally in breaking our covenant with thee: we make bold to mind thee of thy covenant with us: our heart is not for all this turned away from thee; nor are our steppings turned aside out of thy way. we continue still constant with thee: and for their constancy and sincerity, they dare, as Job also, appeal to God himself. And, Blessed is the man, saith James, that thus endureth temptation, that so undergoeth trial. for, when he hath been thus tried ; and upon his trial approved, (for so the word must be taken there, as it is also elsewhere) he shall receive the crown of life; which God hath promised to those that love him ; by such trial now appearing to be of the number of those that sincerely so do.

Besides as in such trial the metal oft passing the fire and abiding the same; is thereby not approved only to be good, but is much improved also in its purity and worth, the drossy and earthy matter, that was before mixed with it▪ being severed from it by the fire : so by afflictions and sufferings are the gifts and graces 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of God's people, not tried only and exercised, and approved as sincere, but much improved also and furthered in the growth of them, while through the gracious and powerful operation of the spirit, joining with them, and working by them the remainders of their spiritual dross and dregs are wrought out of them, and their endowments raised up to an higher degree of holiness, which that baser mould much impeached and impaired before. I will melt them, and try them ; saith God. for what should I do else for the daughter of my people ? and, I will turn mine hand on thee; and burn thy dross out of thee ; as the wicked ones from among thee; so the remainders of corruption out of the residue. And again, I will refine thee; but not as silver is fined. not so exactly and exquisitely, as silver or gold is wont to be fined, which the finer keeps in the fire, until the dross be wholly wrought out of it: (but should God do so with us, we should never be out of the furnace, while we live here.) howbeit I will choose thee, or make a choice one of thee, make thee a vessel fit for my use, and for an honorable service; having purified thee in some good measure, by the furnace of affliction. And▪ I will bring a third part of them through the fire, and will refine them, as silver is refined, and try them as gold is tried; and then they shall call upon me▪ and I will hear them. having made them by their afflictions fit for my service. And, Many of those, saith Daniel, that have understanding, shall fall, by fire and sword, and by plundering and thralldom. but to what end? or with what effect? to try them, and to purify them, and to whiten them. and many accordingly shall be purified, and whitened, and tried, And, The Lord, saith Malachi, when he cometh in judgment, shall be as the finers fire, and as the fullers soap: and he shall sit down, as a finer, or trier of silver, to refine the sons of Levi, and to purify them as gold or silver. that the offerings they offer, may be righteous offerings, and well-pleasing to the Lord.

Hereunto might be added, that as no trials are usually sharper or fiercer, then those that God's people sustain at the hands of their malicious and merciless adversaries, and their reproachful and despiteful usages: the rather because therein they seem to insult, not so much over them, as over God himself in them. so in no trials doth the courage and confidence of God's people more manifest itself, then by their undaunted, constant, and immovable carriage in such cases. Nor is God himself in ought more glorified ; nor the might of his grace in his by any means more magnified, then when God's people, though they seem left to the will of their cruel enemies, yet notwithstanding all their might and malice, all their rage, and excess of outrage and cruelty, they cannot have their own will on them, are not able to work them to what they would, but that they conquer them then, when they seem to be conquered by them, they prevail against those that seem to prevail against them. When thou wast young, saith our Savior to Peter, thou didst gird thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch out thine hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. and withal it is added, that this he spake, signifying, by what death he should glorify God. and, There was power given to the beast, to make war upon the Saints, and to overcome them. and yet did they prevail against him, and overcame him, (as they had done the Dragon before him) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony ; (or, by their word of testimony, their free and undaunted witness-bearing to God's truth; or, by the matter of their martyrdom, whereby they gave a real testimony thereunto:) and by not loving their lives unto death : by being willing to lay down their lives in God's cause, and to seal both the truth of it and their love to it, with their blood. for thus had they the victory over the beast, and over his mark, and his image, and the number of his name ; even then, when he seemed most victorious against them; to wit, when refusing to worship the beast, or his image, or to bear his name on their forehead, or hand, they were beheaded, or suffered otherwise for their refusal. And; in all these things, saith the Apostle, we are not conquerors only, but more th • n conquerors, even triumphers, (as he elsewhere expresseth it) through him, that hath loved us. When I shall be advanced, saith our Savior, thereby intimating what death he should die: as if the lifting of him up on the cross, had been the lifting of him to some chair of estate, or some seat of honor, some royal throne, or some triumphant Charet. that which the Apostle also seems to intimate, where he saith, that on it, he triumphed over principalities and powers; and led them in triumph, as captives, Captains and great commanders especially, taken in war, had anciently in solemn manner wont to be, as to their greater ignominy, so for the greater honor of him, by whom they had been subdued. And as the cross was as Christ's triumphant charet : so are the constant sufferings of God's servants their conquest's, their triumph : since that thereby they overcome, and even triumph over the might and malice of the adverse party; thereby acquiring abundance of glory to God▪ and achieving a large measure of true honor to themselves, in the eyes and minds both of God and man.

The consideration whereof also maketh God's children, though not willing, if no need were, (and so take we that before spoken by our Savior of Peter ) to undergo such sad and heavy things as these usually are: yet (in regard that their sufferings bring so much glory to God, and as from them, are a service very acceptable unto him) to be not only not unwilling, but most ready and forward, with much alacrity and cheerfulness, to offer themselves unto them, or rather to offer themselves up to God in them: esteeming it as no dishonor, but an honor, to be dishonored for Christ, and for his cause; so no pain, but a pleasure, to endure, be it what it will, or can be, that they suffer for Christ, or for the good of those that are his. They went from the consistory, saith the story of Peter and John, when they had been rated and beaten, rejoicing that they were vouchsafed the honor to be dishonourably used for Christ ; that they had been so much graced as to be disgraced for him. And, Now I rejoice in my sufferings, saith the Apostle Paul to the Colossian • , for you; while I help for my part to fill up, or fulfill in 〈◊〉 flesh, wh •• i • yet behind, or remaineth to be made up, of the sufferings of Christ, (besides what he personally endured, by God's appointment for other ends, such are above-mentioned, and the like, to be sustained by the several members of his body, each of them his portion assigned him in his turn and time) for his body, which is the Church. And to the Ephesian • at Miletus, on the way in his journey to Jerusalem, Behold I go to Jerusalem, bound in the spirit, by a solemn, though secret, instinct of the Spirit led thither, not knowing what things will there befall me : whether I shall there end my days or no: save that the holy Ghost, by persons therewith inspired, some or other, in each City, where I come, assureth m • , that bands and imprisonment there abide me: but none of these things at all move me, nor is my life dear unto me, so I may consummate my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God. and after that, when some of the Disciples at Tyrus, speaking by the Spirit, said to him, that he should not go to Jerusalem. that is, by divine inspiration foretold him what would there befall him, and withal out of their kind, but corrupt, affection, gave him carnal counsel, such as Peter did before-time in the like case to our Savior, that he would forbear to go thither: and Agabus a Prophet at Cesarea, with Paul's girdle binding himself, shown by ocular demonstration, how he should be bound hand and foot at Jerusalem : and the brethren there present, thereupon likewise were earnest upon him, with tears beseeching him that he would not go thither; What mean ye, saith he, thus by weeping to break my heart? I am ready not to be bound only, but to die at Ierusal • m for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he had been bound at Jerusalem, and being sent from thence to Rome, he was a prisoner now there, writing to the Philippians; Mine earnest expectation and hope, saith he, is, that I shall no way be abashed; but that with all freedom, as well of speech, as of spirit, as at all times formerly, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, be it by life or by death. and what is the reason why he sets so light by his life, that it is all one to him whether he live or die, so long as Christ may be magnified by either? he resolveth you in the next words himself, if they be rightly understood. not. as our former translation following Beza and some others, had it, For Christ is to me both in life and in death advantage. that is, whether I live or die, I shall be a gainer; I shall gain Christ, or gain by Christ, in either. that is true indeed; but that respects himself, rather then Christ, not Christ's glory, but his own good ; though these two are inseparable. nor as our later edition, and some others interpreters of good note, because they mislike the connection, returning to the old Latin, For to me to live in Christ, and to die is ga • n. or, in handsomer English, Christ is my life; and death is my gain. which yet as little agreeth with the Apostles drift as the former. but, as a reverend Divine of ours, (if I mistook him not, for it is long since I read him.) which I conceive to be the genuine sense of the place; F •• gain to m • , or, my gain, both in life and death, is Christ. that is all the gain that I seek and aim at, either in my pains taking while I live, or in my sufferings, if I die, is Christ; is to magnify him, to bring glory to him, to do service to him, and for him to his. That which elsewhere he saith of all true Christians with himself, None of us lives to himself; nor dies any of us to himself. for whether we live, we live to the Lord; or whether we die, we die to the Lord. that is, to Christ. our aim both in life and death is to serve him; not to receive ought from him, (that is true, that we shall so do; yet not here intended) but to do him service. To which purpose also he further telleth the Philippians, that concerning his stay here, he was in some doubt what to choose, or what might be deemed most be •• ofefull : and that he was in a great straight, what to pitch upon. for when he considered himself and his own good, he had a strong inclination to a desire of departure, that he might be with Christ, whom he was absent from, though employed in his service, while he abode here in the body ; which was indeed by far much the better for himself: but when he looked upon the Philippians and other of God's people, to whom his abode in the flesh might be more useful, he was well content to stay longer here, though with delay of his own greatest good, his personal enjoyment of Christ's glorious presence. Yea, he addeth afterward in his ensuing discourse, that if his death might conduce any way to their spiritual improvement, and it might be thought more advantageous to them, for him to die for them, then to live with them, he was right ready▪ not willingly alone, but even cheerfully to condescend thereunto. Yea if I be offered up, saith he, or poured out, upon the sacrifice and service of your faith ; if my blood, as a drink- • ffering, (which was wont to be poured out upon the body of the beast sacrificed, to consummate the sacrifice) by being shed in Christ's cause, may help further to strengthen your faith; I shall therein joy and rejoice with you ; I shall for your sakes be exceeding glad of it. You see what the gain was, that he aimed at, as well in life, as in death ; not his own, but Christ's, and the gaining of others unto Christ.

It is not therefore without great cause, and good ground, that God thus gives way to the sufferings of his servants, so much conducing to his own glory, and their honor and good ; nor are they, as his soldiers, and champions unwilling so to be employed in his service, to be spent in his cause.

Howbeit this hindereth not, but that God disliketh and abhorreth the rage and cruelty, that such wretches, his enemies, as well as his people, do for him and his sake thus exercise on them; no more then his purpose ▪ concerning the death of our Savior for the salvation of his elect, did any way extenuate, much less excuse, or make less odious in God's eye, the wickedness of those, that had any way (either by malicious contrivance, as the Priests, or treacherous employment, as Judas, or importunate clamour, as the people, or judiciary sentence▪ as Pilate, or despiteful usage, and acts of violence, as the Soldiers and other Officers ) an hand in the procuring and execu • ing of it. And nothing therefore can thence be concluded, to hinder but that God neither doth, nor can, without much indignation and detestation, endure to behold, whatsoever wrong or violence is offered unto his people ▪ either in this kind, or in any other.

Now for the use and application of the point thus made good:

First, the consideration hereof may serve, as by the hand to lead us▪ where to find the cause of God's so oft chastising his children. I have been smitten, saith Asaph, every day, day after day; and • hastised every morning. as if no day had past over his head without some stroke from God's hand; and God had usually made it his first mornings work to be dealing out somewhat in this kind to him; his constant wont were to make him break his fast with the rod. and lest we should think that this was his lot alone, he telleth us in the words ensuing, that this his dealing was not unusual with the whole race of his children. And indeed, There is no son, saith the Apostle, whom God doth not chastise; love he him never so well. he scourgeth everyone whom he takes into family, to be a son, or a servant. For is God so affectionate unto those that are his, that he cannot endure to see any the least harm done to them? how cometh it to pass then, that he deals so harshly oft with them himself? surely this leads us to seek the cause hereof somewhere else; not in him, but in ourselves. If we shall see and observe one, whom we know to be a very chary and tender parent, one that cannot abide to see the least wrong done, in word or deed, either by servant or stranger, unto any of his children, yet to be oft chiding with them, & chastising of them himself, so that neighbors take notice, how the rod walketh in his house, and his children, some or other of them, come daily under the lash; we will easily conclude, that there is sure somewhat amiss in them, that he would have reformed, their carriage is some way or other such as it should not be; & the cause therefore of his so dealing with them, contrary to his own disposition otherwise, is not from ought in himself, being of himself averse thereunto, but from somewhat in them, that induceth, or even constraineth him so to do. In like manner, when we shall see and observe how God, who is so chary of the good and welfare of his children, and so tender over them that he cannot endure to see them sustain the least injury at the hand of any other; yet to be so frequently correcting thē himself, and dealing with them so severely, as ofttimes he doth; we may well thence conclude, that there is not somewhat only, but very much amiss with them, many things out of order, that he would have reformed and amended in them; that it is from them and their corruption, not from himself, or his own disposition, that he deals in such wise with them. It is that which the Prophet thence infers, in that dispute of his, wherein he debates and discusseth the ground & causes of those afflictions, that his people then in captivity sustained. The Lord, saith he, doth not from his heart afflict, or grieve the sons of men. and yet he doth it. that is acknowledged. For, Who is he that can, or dare say, that ought comes to pass, and the Lord hath not commanded it? It is he that creates evil as well as good ; as well darkness as light, as well war as peace. and there is no evil in City, Country, or family, no evil whatsoever that befalleth persons or people, which he hath not done : he hath ever a hand, though a pure and a just one, in it. and, as well evil as good comes out of his mouth: either comes by his appointment. But, if he do what is done, and yet that which is done goeth against the heart with him; surely there must be somewhat without him, that incites him to do what he doth. yea, that is true, saith our Prophet, the cause of the evils we sustain is in ourselves, not in him. Why doth the living man complain? what is the first and principal procuring cause of his grief? man suffereth for his sin. it is his own sin that is the procuring cause of his sufferings. it is man's sin, that kindleth wrath in God. Thou art incensed, because we have sinned. it is sin, that wrings and wrests it as by force and violence from God. Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the Lord his God; and would not humble himself before Jeremiah the Prophet at the commandment of the Lord: but stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart, that he might not return to the Lord God of Israel: all the chief of the Priests also, & the people transgressed exceedingly, according to all the abominations of the Gentiles▪ and polluted the Lord's house, which in Jerusalem he had hallowed. Yet the God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising early and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his place of abode among them, and was loath to destroy either. But they mocked his messengers, and sl • ighted their message, and misused his Prophets, until his wrath was incensed, that there was now no remedy. he bare with them so long, that he could no longer forbear : till he were even wearied and tired out with repenting and revoking of his former dooms of destruction. Hence so frequent in the holy story, the book of Judges especially, The children of Israel sinned against God ; and God thereupon sold them into the hand of this or that oppressing enemy.

And because it may be said, that the sins there mentioned are mostly the sins of idolatry, and the sins of the worse, though the greater part of that people.

To omit what might be replied hereunto, that though such sins, are most commonly named as the chief, yet other sins, no doubt, were rise also among them: and for other sins also, as well as these, are God's judgments threatened by God's Prophets. as also, that both sorts as well good as bad had their share, and suffered either with other, in the common calamities of the times. It is apparent by the confession of God's own choice people, that they also had their failings not a few ; and that the hand of God for those defaults of theirs was oft heavy also upon them. Thine arrows, saith David, stick fast in me: and thine hand presseth me sore. there is no soundn • sse in my flesh by reason of thy wrath; nor rest in my bones, because of my sin. and, while I kept silence, concealing my sin, my very bones wasted; so that I ro • red for pa • n and grief all the day long. For night and day incessantly thy hand was so heavy • pon me, that the moisture of my body was all clean dried up, it was turned into a sommers drought.

And because it may again be objected, that thus it was before Christ's coming in the flesh, in the time of the Old Testament, but it is not so with the faithful now, since the death of Christ, under the New.

Not to insist on that, which yet well we might, that God is no changeling: and that his affection to his children hath been ever the same. The Apostle even in the New Testament telleth us, that for their sin in irreverent and unworthy repair to God's board, and unseemly carriage of themselves there, some of them at Corinth were from God smitten with weakness, some with sickn • sse, and by sickness some of them unto death. Nor will it serve to say▪ that these were of the infidels at Corinth ; for they had access to the Lord's Table : or that it might be spoken of some profane and unsound ones among them; such as many in that Church might be. for to omit, that he saith no • the unworthy receiver, but he that unworthily receives: he that though in regard of his personal estate is not unfit to be a guest at God's board yet comes not so fitted and prepared as he ought, or demeanes not himself as is meet, when he is there, is not so cautious, as he should and might be, in the manner of his address, or of his approaches thereunto. To let this pass, which yet is of some moment; it is added presently after by the Apostle, putting himself also in among the rest, that if we would judge, or sift, ourselves, to wit, so as to repent of and redress, what upon search we find amiss in ourselves, God would not judge us, by inflicting such sad and heavy things upon us. and that, when God doth so judge us, we are chastened by him in the world, that we may not with the wicked world be condemned hereafter. In which words the blessed Apostle plainly implieth, that those he spake of, were such as God chastised for their amendment here▪ that they might not perish hereafter. and withal also, that God doth usually meet in judgment with his, for not keeping a stricter course in the due examination and careful sifting of themselves. And it was no small presumption therefore for that chief ringleader of the Antinomian faction among us, so confidently and peremptorily, in the public hearing of so many hundreds, to avow, that he did not believe, that any sin of his, or of any believer, had any hand in the procuring of the present judgments of God, that lie so heavy upon our land.

Nor doth it any way derogate, either from the free grace of God, or from the merit of Christ's death, to affirm, that God chastiseth his children, as well now, as formerly, for their sins: because it is said by the Prophet, (in a passage of Scripture by these men much abused) that the chastisemēt of our peace was upon him 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 as if God could not chastise in these times for sin, because he chastised him before for us, and so chastised us in him. and it is not consonant, either to equity, or to God's free grace, to chastise us for that, which Christ our surety hath been chastised for already.

For first, (that which we touched also in part before) as well they that lived before Christ's coming were saved by the grace, yea the free grace of God in Christ Jesus, (as James avoweth it) as well as we now are: and had as deep a share in the death of Christ, and in the merit of his sacrifice; (which to that purpose was as effectual, even before it was effected ) as any have that now live. Jesus Christ in regard of the benefit of his passion, being yesterday, and today, and forever the same.

2. Nor again was it the end of Christ's suffering for us, to free us from God's chastising hand ; (that we might thenceforth sin the more freely without fear of check or control, of curb to restrain, or scourge to reclaim) no more then to free us from temporal death ; but to take away the sting both of the one and the other, that neither of them might impeach us in our spiritual estate. Christ was indeed, as the Apostle termeth him, a surety intervening between God and us, of God's gracious covenant made with us. God's surety to us, for the performance of his promises. For in him are all the promises of God yea and amen. and our surety to God, for the discharge of our debt. For, as the Prophet saith, when it was exacted. he answered ; he undertook it, and discharged it. and, God made the iniquity of us all to meet in him, and light on him▪ In regard whereof it is truly said, that the chastisement of our peace was upon him, because the guilt of our sin, whereby we were severed from God, and stood liable to his eternal wrath and curse, being wholly abolished by his sufferings, called sometime a sin-sacrifice, or trespass-offering, and sometime a chastisement, both in reference to our sins, for which he suffered, the enmity between God and us is removed, and we are now reconciled to him, and at peace with him, with whom we stood at a distance, and were at e •• ity before. Thus then by Christ's sufferings there being full satisfaction made to God's justice for our sins, we are freed indeed from the condemning power of sin, and of the Law for sin, and from God's revenging wrath ; but yet not from God's paternal indignation, or the fruits and effects of it, which are exercised on us for our good.

Howsoever therefore it is true, as hath formely also been acknowledged and avowed, that God for other ends and purposes, hath and doth at sundry times chastise those that be his, reconciled unto him in his Christ; yet it is no less true, as hath also been evidently shown, that ordinarily and usually he doth it for sin : and that therefore considering his tender affection and affectionate disposition, we should thereby be led, when his hand is upon us, to seek the procuring cause of it in ourselves, everyone of us in his own bosom, in his breast ; endeavor, as Solomon speaks, to take notice of the cause of the stroke in his heart, and so take to heart the stroke itself. It is the Prophets own inference in the place above mentioned; where, having laid down these two grounds, that God punisheth not from his heart ; and, that men procure e • ils to themselves by their sins ; he subjoineth, Let us search and inquire into our ways. let us make a privy search each one of us, into his own heart, and his life, ransack every corner of either; that whatsoever evil lieth lurking, either in the one or in the other, being discovered and brought to light, it may by sincere repentance and serious reformation be removed. so the fuel being withdrawn, that at first kindled, and still feedeth, the fire of God's wrath, we may well hope, that it will speedily go out of itself.

And this leadeth us to a second use, and that is for encouragement ; to encourage God's people, when they lie under such pressures, exposed to the rage and cruelty of their malicious opposites, to repair unto their God, with hope of relief and redress ; he having professed his affection and disposition towards his, to be such as hath been shown. It is a shrewd discouragement to a poor suppliant in case of danger or distress, if he know or hear that the party, whom he is to make suit to, is one void of bowels, an hard-hearted man. for to seek and sue for favor and mercy to such, is as if the ship should in a stor •• repair for safety to the rock. a man many times doth but the more enrage them, and either aggravate his own misery, or hasten his ruin, by addressing himself, though in the humblest manner that may be, to such. But it is not so here. we go not to a God, in whom ought is found, that gives in this regard any ground or occasion of discouragement unto any; to any especially of his own, toward whom he is so tenderly affected, that he cannot endure to see any evil befall them, but it goeth to the very heart with him. It was that that encouraged Benhadad to seek unto Ahab, notwithstanding▪ that he had but a little before so insolently insulted over him, and most despitefully abused him, by his imperious and tyrannical demands, which he had also twice attempted to put in execution, and had as oft been repulsed, and compelled by shameful flight to save himself; with hope yet to prevail for a renewed reconceilement, and a burial of his former contumelious carriages towards him in oblivion; We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings. But much better encouragement have we to repair and have recourse unto our God in the like case, then Aram had to seek to Ahab ; with hope, that altho we have carried ourselves wickedly and wretchedly, ungratiously and unworthily toward our good God, far otherwise then was meet either for us to do, or for him to endure; yet he will upon our sincere repentance and serious humiliation be pacified towa • d us▪ and reconciled again unto us. We have heard, say they, that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings. but we know that the God of Israel is a merciful God. they built upon the bare hearsays concerning the Kings of Israel, of such as might easily be mistaken in them; upon reports, which being many times raised from, or taken up rather, upon mere shows and semblances of what in truth is not, do consequently fail and fall short, when it cometh to the trial, and so frustrate the expectation of those that rely on them. Whereas we have a surer ground whereon to build our hopes, even the word of that God, who is truth itself, and therefore cannot lie; concerning himself ▪ whom none knows so well as himself, yea none knows indeed perfectly but himself, none in any part but from himself; and who therefore cannot be mistaken in himself, as men even in themselves, and in others much more ofttimes are. He hath published and proclaimed himself, to be a God merciful and gracious, of long sufferance, and abounding in goodness, or kindness, and truth. He hath assured us, and with an oath confirmed it, that he delighteth not in the death and destruction of sinners, his own people especially; but would rather have them repent and return, then to die in, and so perish by, their sins. he hath professed and protested it, that though a man will not receive a wife again, that hath gone from him, and joined herself to another, nor did his own law allow any man so to do. yet notwithstanding our re • olt from him and disloyal dealings with him, he will dispense with his own law, he will upon our taking notice of, and acknowledgement of our sins, revoke his wrath ; because he is merciful ; and upon our hearty retu • n to him, return unto us, and receive us into grace and favor again. And as upon this ground Moses assureth his people, that though God for their sins should at any time dispossess them of their land, wherein he had seated them, and disperse them into foreign parts; yet if out of those places whereunto they were dispersed, they should seek sincerely to him, and return to obey him, God would not so leave them, nor destroy them, but would turn their captivity, or reduce their captives, and have compassion upon them, and gather them out of those nations, whither they were scattered, and bring them home to their own land again. for the Lord thy God, saith he, is a merciful God. So the people of God themselves, when they were so dispossessed of their land, and removed into foreign parts, do upon the very same grounds conceive and nourish hopes, that howsoever they had trespassed and rebelled, and God had not spared them; but had overspred them with his wrath, and the dismal effects of it; had pursued them, and slain them, and that (as might seem) without pity ; the enemy into whose hands he had given them, showing no pity or compassion at all on them; yea though he seemed to have wrapped himself in a thick cloud, that their prayers might not pierce, or find passage, to have access to him, and appear in his presence; yet that he would not utterly cast them off, nor retain his wrath forever. but that he would return and repent, and have compassion again upon them, according to the multitude of his mercies: considering that he did not punish with his heart ; it was against his own disposition to deal with them, as he did; and would not so have done, had not they by their sins provoked and enforced him thereunto. It was inducement sufficient to the King of Nineveh, notwithstanding that peremptory sentence past upon him and his people, yet to conceive some good hope, that upon their seeking to God, the doom might be reversed; Who can tell, but that God may return and repent, or, repent him again, and turn from his fierce wrath, that we perish not ? But there was more in it then so, that made Ion •• so jealous of the issue of his prophecy. I knew, saith he, that thou art a gracious, and merciful God, slow to anger, and of great goodness, and one that repentest thee of the evils, that thou denouncest against persons and people. upon the repentance of those, against whom they are denounced. he had certain knowledge of that by God, whereof they had only some uncertain surmises. and the same grounds that Jonas had to build on, are not wanting to us. they are left upon record, for our comfort and encouragement. Only let us remember to take the same course, that the people of God before-mentioned propound, and that the Ninevites before them practiced. let us, search out our sins first, and turn from them ; and then let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God, and cry mightily to him for mercy. for, when God saw that they turned from their evil ways, then it is said, that God repented of the evil, that he had said he would do, and did it not. This is it that God listeneth after ; this is that that he waits for ; that he would hear of from us, and see with us, that he may show mercy on us ; which he even travelleth of and is in pain with, until he be delivered of it, in such a season, and in such a manner, as may make most for our good. But till this be, let us assure ourselves, that we may cry long enough, and loud enough; but in vain and to no purpose; like the Patient, that calls upon the Physician for the cure of his disease, but will not admit the means, that should remove the cause of it; or cries to the Surgeon for ease of his pain, but will not suffer the splinter or s • ing to be drawn out of his flesh, which sticking there procures the pain.

A third use may be for caution. Is the Lord so affectionate a God to his people; so tender of them, that he cannot endure to see ought done to them, that may vex and grieve them? this should be a very forcible motive unto them, that they be exceeding careful to shun and eschew the doing of ought, that may vex and grieve him; that they be tender of wronging him in ought, who is so tender of seeing wrong done unto them. God's goodness and patience, saith the Apostle, should lead men to repentance. the consideration of it should cause men to be grieved for this, that by their sinful courses they have grieved him, who hath been so gracious and good to them. Nor should the consideration of this tender affection in God towards us, prevail less with us for a preventing care of such carriage, that it be not committed, then for the working of us to repentance, after it hath been committed. Yea the rather should it prevail with us for prevention, not in regard of God only, but in regard also of ourselves; that we may be freed from that after-grief, which our grieving of God will necessarily enforce on us, if we belong unto him, or there be any due respect and sincere love of him in us. preventing justice, we use to say, is the best justice ; and preventing physic the best physic : so is forecast more behooveful then afterwit ; and fore-care much better then after-grief. His masters beneficence to him, and kind usage of him, was a very forcible argument with Joseph to keep him from wronging him, who had been so good and kind unto him. much more forcible should the consideration of God's affectionate disposition be with us, to make us fearful of doing ought, whereby we should wrong him, and though not alter his disposition toward us, yet convince us of failing in the like disposition toward him.

To which purpose let us yet withal further consider, that our God, as he is a gracious and merciful, so he is a wise and discreet God. It is not with him, as it is with some earthly parents, who where they are very affectionate, are withal oft indiscreet : mothers indeed mostly, but fathers also as well as mothers, as if they were mothers rather then fathers, faulty sometime and much failing herein. who, as they cannot endure to see any servant or stranger, upon any occasion, so much as once to touch their children,; so they have no regard, though they do amiss, to rebuke, much less to chastise them, themselves; being therein (if we believe Solomon, and experience too well seals up the truth of what he saith) their foes, rather then their friends. Of Adonijah, you know it is said, that his father David would not at any time upon any occasion displease him: that which encouraged him to be over-bold with his father, in attempting to take the crown from his head, while he yet lived. nor is old Eli's indulgence to his children unknown: that which in the issue proved the ruin both of him and them. But it is otherwise with God. He hath as the heathen man himself could observe, as well a fatherly discretion, as a motherly affection. as he is tender over them; so withal he tendereth their good. as he will not have others to wrong them ; so he will not suffer them to wrong him. as he will not permit others to deal unduly with them; so he will not endure them to carry themselves undutifully toward him. if they do, they shall be sure to hear of it, it may be smart for it too, from him. It was that that David expected, so soon as his heart misgave him, and began to check him, for his numbering of the people. he looked ere long to hear of it, to his grief; and notwithstanding all the means he could use to prevent it, he so did. God would lesson him, by lessening his people, in whose multitude he prided himself, to be more wary another time; and by chastising of him, warn others, what to look for, though never so near or dear to him, if they offend in like sort. Let us therefore be admonished not to presume on God's lenity and his tender disposition : but remember, that discreet parents, even out of a tender care of their children's good, are wont to keep a stricter hand over a son, then over a servant ; and will endure some things in a servant, which they will not in a son ; and though they will not suffer others to wrong their children in ought; yet will not forbear to correct misdemeanors in them themselves; and that sometime also so severely, when the quality of the offense requireth it, and the child's ability will bear it, that neighbors, who know how chary they are of them in regard of others, do wonder, how they can be so sharp and severe to them themselves. That God that cannot endure to see any wrong done to his Jacob, or molestation to his Israel ; yet is said, to have given his Jacob to the spoil, and his Israel for a prey ; when they trespassed against him, and refused to walk in his way, and to listen to his law : and that therefore he poured out on them the fierceness of his wrath, and the fury of war, and kindled such a fire in the mi • st of them, as burnt them up on every side. And the like may we expect from our God, if we carry ourselves in like manner toward him: yea rather in the like manner hath God in part already dealt with us, because we have been exceeding faulty in such like carriage toward him.

Howbeit, let the fourth use be for admonition ; to warn the enemies of God's people, that they take heed, how they touch them, of whom God is so tender. Discreet parents, albeit they correct their children themselves, and that sharply also sometime▪ when they have cause so to do; yet can they not abide to see others use them otherwise then well; they will not endure to see them wronged by any, but will be sure to right them, if it lie in their power. And God, though he lov • his children too well, to wink at evil in them▪ and be oft chastising them therefore for their good: yet can he not, nor will he, endure, to see wicked wretches, reproaching them, oppressing them, trampling on them, insulting over them, yea or vexing and grieving them in the least degree. Touch not mine anointed ; saith he. and even to anointed ones, to Kings themselves, he speaks it. he giveth warning beforehand of it; and that even unto the greatest. And he extendeth elsewhere the warning he there gives, for the persons in whose behalf it is given, unto the very least and lowest of those that are his. Take heed, saith he, how ye offend any one of th • se little ones. let not the meanness of any of them encourage thee to wrong them in ought. but remember and consider, that even the hewer of wood and drawer of water, (the most servile offices that were in those times) entered into covenant with God, as well as the heads of houses, and the rulers of people; he that grinds at the mill, may be one of God's adopted ones as well as he that sits on the Throne ; thy servant, thy slave, the sorriest drudge that thou keepest, may for all that be God's son and heir. But why should we be so cautious of offending such? For, I say unto you, saith our Savior, take it on my word, as little as they are, or as mean in your account, their Angels in Heaven do continually see the face of my Father in Heaven. so deer are they to God, and so chary is he of them, that even those glorious creatures, that are of God's celestial gard, and whose office it is to stand in the nearest place of attendance about him, are by him employed to take special care of them. Lazarus, though a poor beggar, had his soul conveyed hence to Heaven by a Troop of them, when he died: nor were they, you may be sure, wanting in their attendance about him, while he lived, that were so ready at hand to perform that honorable office about him, at his death. He hath given his Angels, saith the Psalmist, charge of thee; to keep thee in all thy ways. that is, whither soever thou goest, and wheresoever thou art: and they shall bear thee in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. they are as servants set to attend little children, to be ever near at hand about them, being they are subject soon to take harm, if they be not constantly attended; and to carry them in their arms, or lift them up from the ground, where they may be in danger of stumbling, or tripping, by a stone, or the like, that lies in their way. And is God so careful of them to secure them against such casualties, as may befall them from the senseless creatures? and is he not as careful, think we to shelter and protect them against such evils as may befall them from the hands of malicious men? yes undoubtedly. The same Angels of his are said to encamp about those that fear him ; (whence Jacob also gave the name to the place, where he met with a Troop of them, assigned by God to gard him, in his return from Laban, against the forces and fury of his brother Esau) to safeguard them, and procure deliverance for them. Yea, as to deliver them ; as they did Elisha, from the Syrian Troops by Benhadad sent to attach him: so to destroy all those that assail them, or attempt ought against them; as they did the Assyrian host, sent by Sennacherib to besiege Jerusalem, and surprise Hezekiah. and all those their adversaries therefore may read their doom in those words delivered by the Prophet from God, for the comfort and encouragement of his people. Fear not, thou w • rm Jacob ; thou that to these men seemest so contemptible a creature; and ye men of Israel: for I will help thee; I will be with thee; I will stand by thee; I will uphold thee. all they that are enraged against thee; shall be ashamed and confounded: all that strive with thee, shall perish: they that contend with thee shall have no being: all that wage war against thee, shall come to naught, they shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. Behold I will make thee, as a new threshing cart, with wheels full of sharp spokes, or teeth; that thou mayest thresh the mountains, even the mightiest of thine adversaries, until thou beat them to dust; and fan them like chaff, until they be carried away with the wind, and dispersed with the whirl-wind. but thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the holy One of Israel. To which we may add those pithy and pregnant expressions, out of Zacharias, tending to the same purpose. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling, (of such strong and strange liquor, as maketh those that drink of it, to shake and quake every limb and joint of them) to all those that are in siege against her. I will make her as a weighty stone, (such as men are wont to try their strength with, by assaying to lift it) that shall bruise and break to pieces all that attempt to take it up; though all the people in the world should join together in the attempt. I will make her rulers, as an hearth of fire among s • ar wood, and as a torch lighted among sheaves; and they shall devour all the people that are in hostility against her, on the right hand, and on the left. This is, and will be the lot of all those that oppug • God's Church ; the portion of all those that oppress God's people. they do but with Haman contrive their own mischief, work their own ruin and downfall, while they plot and practice, as they intend and imagine, against them. The wicked, saith the Psalmist, plotteth against the righteous, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth: but the Lord, the whiles overlooking him, laugheth at him; because he seeth that his day (the day of his own destruction) is coming. The wicked have drawn out the Sword, and bent their Bow, to destroy and slay, (either by open might, or by privy sleight) the upright poor. but their Sword shall pierce their own heart; and their Bow shall be broken. their plots and contrivances shall all be frustrate; and their designs and attempts end in their own destruction.

Yea we may further hence learn how to suck honey out of the rock, and fetch oil out of the flint : how to draw matter of comfort for God's people, (and let that be a fifth use ) even from that that doth usually most daunt and dismay them, and may in the eyes of flesh and blood seem to give just cause so to do; to wit, when they shall see the enemy, having gotten head, to proceed most outrageously, in the exercise of all manner of crew • ty upon God's people, murthering and butchering them, as beasts, without mercy. For if God be so tender hearted, and tender-eyed, in regard of his people, that he cannot endure to see them ill-used: then sure the more furious and outrageous their enemies are in the prosecution of their bloody and barbarous designs against them, the more they provoke God to hasten, both his people's relief, and their ruin. So that they work for God's people ▪ and against themselves, when the • work for themselves as they think, and against them. For the more extremity and cruelty men use against them, the more they v • x and grieve the gracious eyes of God's majesty; and the more his eyes are vexed and grieved by them the more is he provoked to execute judgment on those, that so vex and grieve the same. Yea it may well be said, that the enemies rag • and cruelty is no less prevalent with God to dispeed their destruction, and his people deliverance, then the prayers and • upplications of his people themselves are. Arise, O Lord, saith the Psalmist, maintain thine own cause. forget not the cry of thine enemies: the tumultuous rag • of them that rise up against thee, goeth up daily more and more. He saith not, forget not the cry of thy people ; but, forget not the cry of thi • e enemies. the enemies cruelty hath a cry, and that a loud one; as loud, if not louder, then the cry of those that are oppressed by them. A • else bloed, though himself silent, cried aloud to God for vengeance, yea so loud a cry sometime hath the enemies cruelty, that it out -cries and drowns the cry of the sins of God's people, it moveth God sometime to mercy, when their sins plead for the contrary. Do we behold then, or hear, that the enemy grows more cruel and outrageous every day then other, and that they strive in cruelty and outrage to outgo one another; let it not daunt and dismay us, but put us in hope rather, that their fury and rage is drawing near to a conclusion, that they are not far from the utmost end of their tedder. As the devil rage •• most fiercely, when he knoweth his time to be short: so when he rageth most fiercely, it is a sign, that his time is short, that his fury being at its height, will not hold or last long. when the wickedness of the Amorite was come to the height, he was then ripe, and ready for destruction: and when the fury of Jacob's adversaries is come to the height, it is then high time indeed, for God to strike in, and to take down it and them at once. And though God may seem to linger and delay relief, while his people are in some lingering pains ; yet when their throws come thick, and their pains grow extreme, and the birth is come to the breach, but there is no power to bring it forth, the Lord is then wont to hasten delivery, that his people may not perish under the hands of those, that put them unto such extremity.

Again, hath God such a tender eye on those, and over those, that are his? the consideration hereof may in the next place serve for encouragement ; to encourage them to go on constantly in God's cause ; and not to flinch back, or give over, for fear of any evil, that thereby may accrue unto them, or of miscarrying and perishing in the pursuit of it. For how can he see or suffer any evil to befall them, whose wrongs and sufferings he is so affected with? or how can he permit any of them to perish, whom he cannot endure to see undergo any hard measure at the hand of those that hate them? The Lord rescueth the souls of his servants, saith the Psalmist: and none that trust in him, shall perish. and, The eye of the Lord is upon the righteous ; and, upon those that fear him, and trust in his mercy. God hath a continual eye to them, and on them. because his delight is in them. But to what end is his ey so always on them, to deliver their souls, that is, their lives, or themselves, their persons, from death. and how can they perish, whom God's eye is never off; whom he hath always an eye unto? My sheep, saith our Savior, hear my voice, and I know them ; I take special notice of them: and they f • llow me: and I give them life eternal: and they shall not perish. My father that gave me them is greater then all: and none can take them out of his hand. they that are ever in God's eye, the eye of his perpetual providence, that are ever in God's hand, the hand of his most powerful protection, how can they but be safe? how can they possibly perish?

But how is this made good, may some say, when we see, that they do oft perish ; and a • e so far from being protected or delivered ▪ that they dy in the qarrell?

I answer, 1. they perish not, when they seem to perish. The righteous perish, saith the Prophet. that is, they depart, they decease ; (for such only is their death) and to the eye of flesh and blood they seem indeed to have perished; and men lay it not to heart; and good, or godly men a • e gathered: and men do not consider; that the righteous are gathered from the evil to come; that they go in peace, and depart this world, before troubles come, while outward peace yet continueth, and with inward peace of mind, quietly; or, go unto peace, pass hence unto peace, the soul to a place of joy and bliss, the body to lie down and sleep, till the resurrection, in the grave, provided as a bed, or room of rest for it. God doth with them, as men are wont to do with their corn, when it is catching weather, they are careful to get it in before the rain fall; or as with their fruit, when they see the clouds gather▪ make haste to pluck and house it, before the storm come. So he took away Jereboam's son before the fall of his fathers house; Josiah, before the dismal destruction of his people.

Secondly, no evil doth or can befall them, by ought that in this kind doth betide them. Hated they may be, but harmed they cannot be: hunted and hurried to and fro▪ yea and murdered and massacred they may be; and yet hurt they cannot be. as he said sometime of his adversaries, so may a Christian much better say in the like case of his; Kill me they may; but hurt me they cannot. And as the Cynik sometime answered, when one told him that some mocked him; Mock they may, but I am not mocked ; and the Apostle, of God, that howsoever men, therein worse the • devils, dare mock at him, at his word, at his works, at his ministers and messengers, yet God is not mocked : so here, wrong men may do them; and yet are they not wronged. wrong, I say, men may do them: because they intend, desire, and endeavor so to do; and their very intent and desire is sufficient to make them wrong-doers. and yet are not they wronged : because no damage can accrue unto them, by any wrong that is done them. as every malicious person is a murderer ; albeit the party maliced by him, be not murdered. and everyone that looketh on a woman, so as, or, until he lust after her, is an adulterer ; altho the woman so looked on, and lusted after, be free from any adulterous either act, or thought. Amnon was an incestuous violat • r of his sister: and yet was not she, either incestuous, or at all violated. in the party forced, saith God himself, there is no fault. and sacrilegious persons, are guilty of wrong done to God, albeit no wrong can possibly reach unto him: no more then those shafts, that are shot against the sun, can come anything near it, much less lessen its light. Men may set up the godly man as a mark, whereat to level all their envenomed arrows : but they can no more fasten on him to hurt him, then as if they met with a rock, where they cannot enter so much, (though they may be shattered themselves,) as to make the least dint, or to leave the least print behind them. For consider a while with me, what men can do to thee, if thou beest one of God's peculiar ones, or wherein they can endamage thee. They may take thy goods from thee, but can they take away thy grace? that is thy true treasure. and while thou retainest that, thou mayest say more truly then the Philosopher, when the City, he dwelt in, was sacked, that thou hast lost▪ nothing. Yea suppose a man be plundered, as Job was, of all that ever he hath: to let pass what one of the ancients saith of him; that though Job, when he was stripped of all that he had been formerly possessed of, might seem to be in a very miserable condition, yet was he even then in a most happy and blessed estate. in what respect, or how so? you will say. why? because, saith he, albeit he had lost all that God gave him ; yet he had that God still that gave him all: and he had all, yea more then that all by much, in him. the Devil had taken from him his goods ; but he could not take away his God, nor his goodness neither. But not to insist, I say, upon that; I demand what less or damage doth a man sustain, suppose never so much be taken away from him, if reparation be made him with advantage ; if all be restored him, not twofold, as with Job, but an hundred fold, in one kind or other. and this is that which our Savior promiseth unto all those, that shall lose ought in his cause, that shall forego ought for his sake. and no marvel therefore if the faithful even with joy sustain the spoil of their goods: since that it is no loss or damage to them; but good and great gain. they know well enough, which way they shall be repaired, and repaid largely, for whatsoever they so part with.

Yea but men may take away, not my living only, but my life to.

Thy life? what life ? thy bodily life, thy transitory life. that is the worst they can do. They may kill the body, saith our Savior; but they can go no further. and not that neither, unless God give them leave. If they cannot kill a Sparrow, one of the soriest birds that is, against God's will ; much less any man, or any of those, whom God takes more special care of, then of any other creature. Yea the very hairs of your head, saith our Savior to his▪ are numbered. and sure if the hairs of their head are numbered, then the days, yea minutes and moments, of their life, much more. they were solicitous for their lives, and Christ giveth them security, saith one, even for their hairs. which yet is not so to be understood, as if God kept a tale, or strict account of their hair, how many each of them had growing on his head, and how that number diminished, as daily in likelihood it did; but that thereby he would intimate, that without his permission not so much as an hair could be plucked from their head, there could not the loss of so much as one hair befall them, and much less could they be abridged of any one minute or moment of their live • ; it was not in the power of any creature to hasten their end a minute or moment sooner then God should please to permit.

But suppose God do permit any to take thy life from thee: what hurt do they do to thee? They may slay thy body ▪ but they cannot come at thy soul : (r) what they cannot see, saith he, they cannot slay. they may hack and hew thy body to pieces: but no hurt or damage can thereby accrue to thy soul. and thy soul it is, that is the principal part of thee. that is the jewel, thy body is but the case ; that is the sword, the body is but the sheath. Every man's soul, could the heathen man say, is every ones self▪ all is well, where the soul is safe. be careful to keep that in its due posture, and nothing that befalleth the outward man, shall annoy thee. Observe we the words of our Savi • ur. Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake: and some of you shall be slain. but there shall not a hair of your head perish. only in patience possess your souls. May it not well seem strange, that our Savior should tell them, that they should some of them lose their heads, and yet they should not lose an hair? that though their heads were shorn from their shoulders, yet not an hair should be plucked from their heads? But Christ's purpose is, by a proverbial form of speech, to give them assurance of the greatest indemnity, that may be imagined, even to an hair. and the meaning is, that not so much as an hairs harm should befall them, so much as the loss of an hair might be deemed; that not so much damage or detriment, as the value of an hair might amount unto, should accrue unto them, by ought that they were to endure. In regard whereof even an Heathen man could say, that a good man might not smile only, but even laugh outright, to see wicked men, what a coil they keep, when with all their might and malice they set on him, as if they would do him a world of mischief, whereas they cannot do him the least evil that is. But the use of the phrase elsewhere will further help to clear this, as in the next passage shall appear.

Thirdly therefore we say, that the godly in these cases, as they perish not, when they seem to perish ; so they are delivered even then, when they seem not to be del • vered ; yea to be never better delivered then at such times they are. If you ask me, how? I answer you briefly; as the passengers were saved, that sailed with Paul. An Angel of God appears to Paul, and tells him, that God had given him all that sailed with him. that is, that for his sake God had bestowed their lives on them. This as the Angel assured him, so he as confidently assuring them; Not an hair, saith he, shall fall from the head of any of you. But what means he by this? There shall be no loss of any man's life, saith he, but of the ship only. Your lives shall not be in the least degree impaired: all the loss that shall befall you, shall be of the ship. and so accordingly it was. for the ship striking on ground, and there sticking fast, was broken to pieces; but the passengers all escaped, and came safe to the shore. and just so is it here. the brittle bark of this frail body being battered and broken, the soul swimmeth away out of it, as out of a l •• king vess • l that can no longer hold out, and arriveth instantly, without let or stay, at the haven of eternal rest and bliss. Nor are God's servants ever better delivered, then when delivered in this manner. for at other times they are delivered, it may be, out of some one trouble, and fall shortly after, as it oft falls out, into some other; and after that, if they escape it, meet, it may be, with a third. and indeed it is so very usually with them; that the coming out of one is but the stepping into another. in this case they are delivered, not out of one trouble, but out of all ; not from some by times, but from all at once. whereas formerly they were so delivered, that they stood still in need of some renewed deliverance, they are then so delivered, as they need no deliverance again. yea in this regard doth the deliverance of God's servants surpass the deliverance of Paul's associates, which we resembled it by before: for that there, there was an utter loss of the ship, being cast away without recovery. whereas there is no loss of ought at all here. for the bark of the body, though it be wreck • , and by violence beaten all to pieces, yet shall it rise, and be repaired and restored again, with all her tackle and furniture, in more ample and excellent manner then ever. No cause is there therefore for any man to fear any evil of damage or detriment by his constancy in God's cause. by deserting it he may undo himself; but by standing constantly to it he may save himself. For he that will save his life, shall lose it ; saith our Savior: but he that for my sake will lose it, shall find it to life eternal. shall by losing it in some sort here, gain it and enjoy it everlastingly hereafter.

Again, is it Jacob and Israel, God's people, that God hath such an eye to? this may serve as a motive to persuade persons of all sorts and degrees; if they desire safety, and to be under such an eye of God; to adjoin, to associate themselves unto such. The Princes, or, the volunteers, of the people, or people's rather, of other people, more then one, have joined themselves to the people of the God of Abraham. and why to them? because the shields of the earth belong unto him ; unto the God, whom they serve. And it is to them, and among them, that he is a Sun and a shield. nor is there any surety of safeguard, but under his wing, of protection, but within his courts. Not the Tabernacle, or the Temple alone, or the City, but the whole land, the whole teritory, is termed a Sanctuary : and as a Sanctuary it was as well to the stranger that fled thither, as to the natives themselves, that were bred and born there. The Egyptians that dwelt among the Israelites in Goshen, escaped some at least of the plagues, that all Egypt besides felt. and those that were not of Jacob's posterity, yet by being and abiding in the same body with them, partaked, as in some other privileges with them, so in that protection, that God was pleased to afford them. And so mayest thou by being embodied with God's people, though thou beest not yet one of them. though thou beest not yet a thorough convert, there, and there alone▪ are the means to be had, whereby thou mayest in God's time be thoroughly converted. Only take heed, that thou beest not among them, as a scoffing Ishmael, as a treacherous Judas, as a murmuring, and a mutinous Corah, Dathan, or Abiram against Moses and Aaron. the Kings court is an ill shelter, either for a known traitor, or a seditious party nor can God worse endure any, then such, as under pretence of joining themselves to his people, are either openly authors of sedition among them, or under-hand plotters of mischief against them. Let them go down quick into the grave, saith the Psalmist of the one: and they went down quick into the grave ; saith the story of the other.

But chiefly, and above all things, endeavor by all means, to be, not among them only, but of them, one of the true Israel, of the Israel of God ; not a partaker only in this protection with others, but one of those for whose sake God affords it unto others. for the privilege indeed is theirs, though others may share in it sometime with them. they of right may claim it, and assure themselves of it; others no further then God is pleased, with them, and for them, to impart it. Besides, what will it in the end avail a man, to enjoy God's protection here with his people for a short time, and after that short term expired, to go out of it forever? to enjoy some common fruits of God's favor a while here, and to lie under his displeasure everlastingly hereafter. Remember me, O Lord, saith the Psa • mist, with the favor of thy people. with that special favor, which thou bearest unto them, who are yet, in a more peculiar manner then ordinary, thy people. O visit me with thy salvation. as well spiritual, as corporal ; not temporal only, but eternal. that I may see, that is, enjoy, the goodness of thy chosen. that goodness of thine, which thou showest to thine elect : and that I may rejoice with the joy of thy nation. with such joy, as thou by thy Spirit art wont to fill the hearts of thy faithful ones with: and glory with thine inheritance. glory with them, that are heirs of salvation, in hope of that glory, which with them I look hereafter to inherit. and this favor of God is that indeed, which the faithful only have their share in; and wherein no stranger is, or can be intercommoner with them. as for the other, of external protection and preservation, that even the worse sort of men also usually pa • take in, either by the abode of God's people among them, or by their abode among God's people.

Nor do worldly men therefore understand, how injuri • us they are to themselves, when they malign and oppugn, seek to mischief and make away those, by whose means, and for whose sake, they enjoy that peace and safety, that otherwise would be soon removed. The wicked world wished Noah once in his Ark they liked not his preaching of repentance and righteousness. but no sooner was Noah once safely stowed in the Ark, but the deluge began, that drowned the whole world. The Sodomites could not brook Lot. they would set him going ere long. as their lewd life was an eye-sore, yea an heart-sore to him: so was his holy life no less offensive to them, as giving a severe, though silent, check to theirs; and his admonitions much more. but in the very same day that Lot set foot out of Sodom, came that storm of fire and brimstone, that destroyed the whole City. It is for that sory handful of sincere professors, so much maligned and traduced with us, that our Land and State hath been hitherto preserved from utter confusion. As the support at Shallecheth is in the elms and the oaks; so is the holy seed, saith Isaiah, the support of the State. that is, as the trees, that grow on either side of the causey or terrace, that reacheth from the Kings Palace to the Temple, at the gate of Shallecheth, supporteth it, and by keeping up the earth, that would otherwise be crumbling away, keeps the causey from decay: so the holy seed, the small residue of religious and well-affected people in the land, are they that support and bear up the State; which but for them might be soon utterly overthrown and destroyed. The making much therefore of such is a means to secure a State: the maligning of them, and making away, or chasing away of them, (that which hath been formerly too much practiced among us) is the next way to overthrow it. It bodes no good to a State, when God sweeps, or picks such away. It was a sign that Sampson meant to pull down the house on the Philistines heads, when he attempted to stir the pillars. and when God takes away the pillars and supporters of a state, it is a shrewd sign that God intendeth it no good. But when a people shall themselves expel such from among them, they do therein but imitate Solomon's foolish woman, that pulleth down the house with her own hands.

But, to proceed to a further use, hath God such an eye as we have heard, on his? then should they also have an eye on him, and to him.

We should have constantly an eye on him, and his conduct; as he hath an eye on us. And indeed we cannot expect, that he should have such an eye constantly on us; unless we have our eye constantly also on him. I have observed, saith David the ways of the Lord; and have not wickedly gone aside from my God. for all his commandments were before me: nor did I put any of his statutes away from me. He seems to allude to the Israelites journeying through the wilderness. where they were to follow the conduct of the Ark and of the cloud ; to observe which way God led them by either of those, and that way to go, though it seemed never so far about, in regard of the land that they were bound to. so did David. and so must we do, in our passage through the wilderness of this world, if we desire to pass in safety under God's protection. our eye must be on God's conduct ; observe which way he directs us, by the pillar of his word, by the light of his law ; though he seem to carry us far about, in regard of those ends and aims that we propound to ourselves; and desire to attain ento. For as it was with them; they were safe, while they followed the cloud and the Ark ; but when they left either of them, going out of God's protection, they fell foul on the Amorites and were beaten down by them: so must we expect, that it will fare likewise with us. So long as we follow the directions of God's word, that should be the cynosura and load-star of all our designs, we are sure to tread safely, we may be confident of success. But if we shall offer to step aside out of the rode way, that it leadeth us in, and betake ourselves to other by-paths, by indirect courses seeking to compass our ends, and to bring things about; we shall miss of our aim, fail of obtaining our ends; and while we go out of God's protection, by declining his conduct, expose to peril of miscarrying, both ourselves, and the affairs, whereabout we are employed.

Again, we must have an eye, as on God, so unto God: as to him and his conduct, so to him, for his safe-conduct, his safeguard, if we desire that he should have such an eye unto us. Mine eyes are continually upon the Lord ; saith David. And unto thee, say God's people, do we lift up our eyes, O thou, that dwellest in the heavens. as the eyes of a servant are to the hands of his master, and the eyes of an hand-maid to the hands of her mistress: so are our eyes unto the Lord, till he have mercy on us. we must have our eye constantly fifth up unto him, if we will have his eye constan • lie cast down upon us. For though he profess & promise to have such a tender eye over his, yet doth he look to be sued and sought unto for the same by us. Yet for all these things, saith he, which I have promised to do for them, will I be sought to by the house of Israel▪ where though the main scope of the place be to intimate, that there should be a constant repairing of God's people again to God's Temple, there to prefer their petitions unto him, as in former times before the captivity they had done; yet withal it is implied, that God expected from time to time to be petitioned for the performance of his promises. God must therefore be sought to, yea and constantly sought to, if we desire to have his eye constantly on us, in that manner as he is▪ here said to have had on that people. The case of them in their conflict with Amalek, will show it. Tho God could not but with dislike, yea with deep detestation, behold Amaleks base and injurious attempt against them, and by a solemn oath engaged himself to be avenged on him for it: yet no longer then Moses held up his hands in prayer, did Israel in sight prevail against Amalek. When our eyes grow weary of looking up unto God, no marvel if God's eye grow heavy in looking after us. Our slumbering in this kind, may make him also to slumber ; who though he can neither slumber nor sleep, yet upon our neglect of him seems many times to sleep ; and though he be sometime awaked with the very noise and outrage of the adversary, yet he would rather be awaked with the cries and clamor of his people.

Give me leave to add an use of application hereof to ourselves. What Balaam a voweth here of Jacob and Israel that then was, hath been abundantly verified of God's Israel among us. God hath not endured to see wrong done us, nor grievance attempted against us ; but hath from time to time in much mercy protected us, and executed judgment on those that have but attempted to wrong us. How many plots and practices of the popish faction, in Queen Elizabeth's reign, in King James his time, in our Sovereigns days that now is, have been discovered, defeated, and returned on the heads of those, that were either plotters of them, or employed in them? And whereunto can we ascribe these so many and manifold defeats of them, and deliveries of ourselves, but to that good eye of our gracious God, that was upon us for our good; that pitiful eye of his, that could not endure to see that spoil made of his people with us, that must needs have ensued, had those plots and practices taken effect? What was it else (to omit all other deliverances of a lower alloy) that dispersed that invincible Armado, as they termed and esteemed it, whereby they made full account to have made an utter riddance of us, and gave them up to the mercy of the winds and waves, that in merciless manner intended to have preyed upon us; wrecked them that would have wrecked their rage and cruelty upon us; and swallowing them up quick, buried them in the bowels of the deep, that were fully bent in their implacable fury to have swallowed up the whole body of God's people with us. Well may we sing, and say with Israel of old, If the Lord had not been with us, and stood by us, when these men rose up against us; then had they in the fierceness of their wrath against us swallowed us up, or, down, quick; then had the waters overflown us, and the stream overwhelmed our souls; the swelling waters had overwhelmed our souls ; had utterly drowned us and destroyed us. but blessed be God, who gave us not as a prey unto their teeth. Or what else was it, that brought to light, and by discovery frustrated that devilish design of the Powder plot, so cunningly contrived, and so covertly carried, that it was by the authors of it, and agents in it, deemed a thing impossible, that it should by any means miscarry, or fail of its intended effect? as well here might we say with that other Psalmist, Unless the Lord had kept the City, the watc • man (yea or watchmen, had they been never so many, or so mighty) had waked but in vain. For surely, had not the all seeing eye of Israel's keeper, who never slumbereth nor sleepeth, watched over us then for our good; though we had denied sleep to our eyes, and slumber to our ey-lids ; yet in vain had we watched, being altogether ignorant of any danger we were in, nor being aware, where the evil lay lurking, against which we should have watched. Had many thousands, or ten thousands; yea never so many millions of men been up in arms, for the safeguard of our Sovereign, his Royal consort, his Princely issue, our Peers, our Prelates, the main body of our Nobility, the prime flowers of our Gentry, and Communalty; all could not have secured them, from being blown up at one blast, and dispersed into the air, to find what sepulture, if any at all, they could, where their disjected limbs, or their battered bodies should light. And what further mischief would have followed throughout the whole Land, had that hellish design taken effect, it is not easy to imagine. Only this we may upon good grounds conceive, that • hose that should have survived to see the ensuing miseries, would have deemed them thrice happy that had perished in that hideous execution at first, and have wished that they had born them company therein. And what can we say letted, that it took not effect, when it was so near upon the point of execution; but that God's tender eye over us could not endure to see that hellish cruelty acted upon his people, which those monsters of men would have beheld with delight? Nor can we justly ascribe the discovery of so many several plots and conspiracies, as have been since the beginning of our present troubles, set on foot by the adverse party; but having been brought to light before they could be hatched and seeing the light before their intended time, have by that means miscarried; unto any other cause, save the watchful eye of our good God over us, and his tender care of his people among us, and of those that are entrusted by them in the public affairs of Church and State for their good.

And let this in the last place, mind us, of our duty to God, for such his mercy to us. Is it so then, that God is so chary of the welfare and good of his people, that he cannot endure the sight of ought that tendeth to their evil or annoyance? Then undoubtedly it is the duty of God's people, to be in like manner affected towards him. it standeth them upon, to be as chary of his glory as he is of their good ; and no more to endure ought that may impair his glory, then he ought that may impeach their good. it is but right and equal, that it should so be. yea it is more then equal, that what God freely doth for us, we should endeavor at least, in way of requital, to do deservedly for him. And such indeed hath been the disposition and practice, in a very eminent manner, of some prime ones among God's people. Moses one of the meekest and mildest men upon earth, by the testimony of truth itself: yet in God's cause, how zealous? how fervent? how fierce? how furious? (as might seem to some of another temper, of another spirit; so transported was he with passion) when he saw God dishonored by divine worship done to an idol? he throws out of his hand the tables of the Law, God's own workmanship; not considering what might, and indeed did thereby befall them. he stamps the idol to powder, casts the powder into the water, compels them to drink that, which erst while they had adored: causeth some three thousand of the people to be slain ; when as for the saving of the residue he made offer to have his name raced out of God's book. David likewise, though in his own concernments exceeding patient, even to wonderment. I was, saith he, as a deaf man, that heareth not; as a dumb man, that cannot open his mouth: I was as one that could not hear; or that were not able to return a reproachful answer. And so it was indeed with him, (as the story shows) when Shimei railed on him, cursed him with a grievous curse, threw stones at him and his train, and carried himself most contumeliously and despitefully toward him. he went on his way as quietly as if he had not either heard ought that he spake, or seen ought that he did. But whē ought came in his way that tended to God's dishonor, then the zeal of thine house, saith he, hath even wasted me. (the indignation that he conceived at the consideration of such things done, as seemed to tend to the disparagement of God's honor, in the abuse of his house, did cast him into a consumption, did even waste him to skin and bone) and the reproaches of them that reproach thee, are fallen upon me. such reproachful speeches as profane persons did cast out against God, he took to himself; he reckoned himself reproached in them, and in him: and by reproving them for their reproachings of God, brought reproof and reproach upon himself. And again, My zeal, saith he, doth even consume me, or, eat me up, because mine enemies forget thy words. as if he had said; It is not so much the wrong that mine enemies do me, in their cruel pursuing of me and plotting against me, that troubleth and vexeth me, as their forgetting of God, and failing in their duty to him, and the dishonor that in pursuit of their malicious practices against me, they do to him. nor could he therefore without much grief, and whole rivers of tears, behold how regardless wicked men were of God and his Law. their sins and excesses, were not an ey-sore only, but even a heart-sore to him, as the like in the Sodomites, among whom he lived▪ was before-time to Lot. And well were it with us, could we be in the like manner affected; could we work our spirits to such a temper; not so much to regard in the present troubles, what ourselves, as what the cause of God, suffers ; nor so much in our endeavors, courses, and counsels to eye and aim at, our own private emoluments, the reparation of our own losses, or improvement of our own estates, as the public interest of God's Church, the reparation of the dishonor that hath been, and is still daily done to his Name, his Word, his Service, his Worship, his Sabbaths, his Sacraments ; and the advancement of his glory, in the purity of his Ordinances and the power of piety wrought into the hearts and expressed in the lives of those, that profess themselves to be his people: but to be well content to dispense with the one for the promoting of the other; thinking nothing too dear, not our lives themselves, much less our outward estates, to be expended and laid out, though but for laying a foundation of that, that future ages may enjoy. This tender care and respect had we unto God's cause, in way of thankfulness to him for that tender care that he hath from time to time had of us: and did we make it appear in our courses, and carriages, that men might thereby see, that it were this indeed that did most affect us and sway with us; it would win the hearts hath of God, and of good men, as well at home as abroad, very much unto us & to our cause. and we should have the better grounds to conceive the stronger hopes, that God would be pleased to continue his watchful eye still over us, for our further and future preservation. Whereas on the other side, if we shall regard God's honor no further, then as it stands with our own interest ; nor respect piety, but as it may be subservient to policy ; if we shall give way to, or connive at Antinomian teachers, and other the like Sectaries, that with their pernicious opinions poison the souls of God's people; by blindfolding God rom all sight of sin in them, and so encouraging them to make no conscience of any sin in regard of God's sight ; by discharging them of their duty to God and his Law ; removing one of the strongest curbs to restrain them from sin, and dissuading them from all sorrow for sin, after they have sinned; pleading for toleration of all sorts of religions and opinions, though never so blasphemous and abominable, so long as they disturb not the public peace, nor hinder civil obedience ; if we shall, I say, give way to, or wink at, such as these and the like, out of fear of losing a strong party, and so being by the malignant party overpowered; it may be just with God to withdraw his protection from us & to deliver us up deservedly to be destroyed by the one, while we vainly fear to be deserted by the other. The Lord in mercy grant us grace, so to depend upon him, that no such false fears may force us out of his way, or make us forgetful of our duty to him; lest thereby we become like the timorous deer, which while out of fear, they seek to shun a few feathers or papers, set on purpose to affright them, forsaking their covert, where they might have been safe, run full upon the Bows that stand ready bent to shoot them, or into the toil ready pight to receive them, and to surprise them to their fall. Remember we, what the Latin proverb saith▪ He that is afraid of the frost, shall be overwhelmed with the snow. And take Gregory's interpretation thereof with it; He that feareth man's displeasure, which as lying here below, might without peril be overpast; shall be surprised with God's wrath, which coming down from above, can by no means be avoided. And let the fear of God, and our due respect to him, so prevail with us, as to incite and enable us, to con • emn and trample upon all such base and groundless fears: the rather considering, how even with those cowardly creatures, yet urgent necessity of procuring their own safety, upon the hunters eager pursuit of them with his hounds at their heels, doth so prevail, as to make them rush on, or 〈◊〉 over those vain feather, or paper-works, which they were so shy and fearful of before; as also their tender affection to their young ones, running along by their sides emboldeneth them▪ to turn upon, make head against, and trample on those beagles, (I have seen a Do do it in defense of her Fawn ) whose least opening, though a loose off, at other times they durst not endure.

To conclude let it be our principal care to have our practice in this kind correspondent to our prayers. That as we are taught by our Savior, to pray in the first place, that God's name may be sanctified, so in our practice we prefer the seeking and procuring thereof before all other things, even our own outward safety itself. God beholding us to have such a regardful eye to him, and to his glory, will (no doubt) have no less regardful an eye unto us and to our good ; and may the rather be induced to afford that safety unto us▪ which we are willingly and readily content rather to hazard, then to fail in our duty to him.

Imprimatur Thomas Gataker.

Esca • es, 〈…〉 • pplied.

IN the Preface read, p. 6. l. 4 them. the▪ p. 14. l. 17. those times. p. 15. l. 12. it were not.

In the margent, p. 5. lit. p • qem c • vat. p. 21. l. b 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

IN the Treatise, pag. 7. line 32. Greek Expositors. p. 10. l. 16. in those two. p. 23. l. 18. wickedness. p. 27. l. 13. highest of them. p 32. l. 14. any son of iniquity, any wrong doer. p. 43. l. 2. in his cause. p. 47. l. 7. sick and i • prison, and ye visi. l. 32. if in any wise. p. 64. l 3. other. p. 65. l. 19. people's. p. • 1. l. 28. on them? p. 83. l▪ 16. Ammon. p. 88. l. 8. but in th • s.

In the margent, p. 11. lit. y 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 p. 22. l. i. dele cum. p. 23. l. r. & simili • . p. 3 • . l. t Petr. Celens. x Cassiodor. p. 52. l. h aut ciausum▪ ibid Vatabl. p 64. l. g 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ibid. oram. p. 66. l. • qia qicunqe. p 70. l. c Bern▪ nom. serm. in 〈◊〉 . Dom. p. 79. l. z 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 p. 80 l. b Ammian. p. 1 • . l b Facti. cr. l. c 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . p 86. l. a Simoc. p. 89. l. e scuta. i. prot. p. 91. l. • 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . p. 49-ad lit. h add. P.m. non ultiomum, aut judiciorum; qod miserendi cau • am & originem sumat ex proprio, judicandi vel ul • ciscendi magis ex nostro. Bern. in Nat. Dom. serm. 5.