The Rock of Israel

IT is this day Ordered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament, That Sir Robert Harley and Sir Robert Pye, do from this House give thanks unto Doctor Staunton and Master Green, for the great pains they took in the Sermons they preached this day at Saint Margaret's Westminster, at the entreaty of this House (it being the day of public Humiliation;) and they are desired to Print their Sermons. And it is Ordered that none shall presume to Print their, or either of their Sermons, but by the authority of their hands writing.

I authorise Christopher Meredith to Print my Sermon.

A SERMON Preached at the LATE FAST, Before the Honorable House of COMMONS.

T He words are a sweet strain in a Song of Moses, full of faith and triumph, and suite well enough with a day of mournings, for the Jubile trumpet sounded in the day of Atonement; and our lowest humiliations, are the inlets of our highest exaltations.

We may look upon the text as a Caution, laid in to prevent the insulting and blaspheming language of a sometimes prevailing enemy, who might vaunt, and say, Our Arm hath broken Israel, and, our gods are victorious; No. saith Moses, ver. 30. How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? to wit, one Israelite could not but chase a thousand enemies, and two could not but put ten thousand to flight, except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up. Or thus, there is an impossibility that one (of the enemies) should chase a thousand, (Israelites) or two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock, &c. And the reason of that impossibility ariseth from the sovereignty of God, Israel's protector, and the vanity of Idols, yea of all the props and supporters of the enemy: especially God's sovereignty, and their vanity being balanced together; For their rock is not as our Rock, even the enemies themselves being Judges.

For the letter or Grammar of the words, the Original runs thus, for not like our Rock their rock: The e Septuagint renders it For their God's are not as our God: But the rendering of the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Rock, by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God, ( which is usual in the Septuagint) is rather an Interpretation, then a translation. Many Latin Bibles follow rather the Septuagint, then the Original, and have Deut & dei, God and gods: the Chaldee Paraphrase saith Strength: this to the sense also, though not to the letter. Lay all together, and you have the whole before you, Their rock is not as our Rock; their gods, not as our God; their strength, not as our Strength.

Even our enemies themselves being Judges, the Original runs thus, Even our enemies Judges. The Septuagint renders it, and our enemies unintelligent fools and witless: And Agelius tells us, that some of the Hebrews gave the occasion probably to the Septuagint for this translation: for they break the words into two negative Propositions: first, Their rock is not as our Rock; the second, and Our enemies are not Judges, that is, not men of wisdom, but silly Idiots, fetching the negative particle of the first proposition into the second, though not expressed. And this is an usual Hebraism; take one instance, O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation, and chasten me not in thy sore displeasure: the negative particle in the former clause is not expressed in the latter, though understood. And this Interpretation of the Text, if possible, yet not probable: and if any curiously inquire for the reason why the Septuagint translates 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Judges by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 senseless, foolish? I must answer him, with an ergo quaere, inquire still.

For the Rhetoric of the words, first some think there is an Apostrophe, a turning of the speech in the whole, by Moses, so Junius; or the people, so Ainsworth; by Moses, and the people, probable also. Moses spake his own mind and the mind of the people, saying, their rock is not as our rock, &c. Again, others conceive there are two tropes, a Metaphor in the word rock, for God, strength, supports, and a Synecdoche generis prospecie, their rock expressing all the props and supports of enemies, when their Idol-gods their principal supports are especially aimed at.

Instead of the Logic and division of the text, be pleased to take notice of these five particulars: the three first necessarily implied; the two last plainly expressed.

[unspec 1] First, that Israel hath an enemy.

[unspec 2] Secondly, that this enemy hath a rock, to wit, something he trusts unto and leans upon, their Rock.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, that Israel hath a Rock also, our Rock.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, that there is no comparison between the rock of the enemy, and the rock of Israel, their rock is not &c.

[unspec 5] Fifthly, that the proof hereof is from the adversaries themselves, our enemies themselves being Judges.

The first observation is, that Israel hath an enemy, the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Romans, but especially the Egyptians here pointed at, as Israel's most notorious and professed enemies: and the grand enemy of God's Israel in our days is Rome and its adherents typed out by Egypt, and hence the great City Rome is spiritually called Egypt.

Spiritually, that is, by way of Allegory and resemblance, the Kingdom of Egypt shadowing out the Kingdom of the beast: the Parallel may run thus.

[unspec 1] First, Egypt's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , mad-Idol worship, having brutish God's, the Cow, the Ox and the Crocodile, and Herbal God's, leekes and onions. You may read at large the grossness of Egypt's Idolatry, in Herodotus and Juvenall: and yet Rome is more idolatrous. Egypt adored creatures animale of God's making; Rome, things inanimate also of man's making, stocks and stones; Rome hath God's of gold, and silver, of brass, and wood in their painted and carved Images; hath a breaden God in their real presence, makes all the Saints and Angels God's, by their invocation or adoration of them, makes every Priest a God by his power of transubstantiation, and (that they may have God's enough) they make everyone of themselves, yea every good work they do, a God, by opinion of merit in it: and therefore the Poet Mantuan spake truth, and Divinity, when he said, that Rome was more idolatrous then Egypt.

[unspec 2] Secondly, one of the plagues of Egypt was darkness, and surely the Kingdom of the beast is a Kingdom of darkness; Rome's deluded Proselytes are tutored into ignorance of Scriptures, Christ, and God: Egypt's darkness was external, Rome's inward, and spiritual; Egypt's was involuntary, and lamented darkness, Rome's voluntary and affected; Egypt's penal, Rome's criminal; Egypt's but about a three days darkness, Rome's a lasting, if not an everlasting darkness: hence Luther's verdict, Italy lies involved in the palpable fogs of Egyptian darkness, they are all so ignorant of Christ, and of the things of Christ. Adeo ignorant omnes Christum & quae sunt Christi.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, cruelty to Israel was the great sin of Egypt setting hard taskmasters over them, exacting the tale of Bricks when straw denied; but Rome's cruelty rests not in the estates of men, squeezing them as Sponges, nor in the bodies of men, whipping them with penances, and tyring them with pilgrimages, but reaches the very soul and conscience, the Pope sitting there as Lord and Master, dictating laws ad libitum: this soul-bondage is the soarest bondage: the rigor of Egypt's cruelty was but about two hundred twenty five years, but Rome's is as long as the reign of the Beast: the Antichristian Rebels in Ireland braining young infants, ripping up women with child, their she-butchers with their long cut-throat knives by their sides, putting to the sword so many thousand Protestants in one Province in one month, are bloody demonstrations of Rome's cruelty.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, all that Israel contended for with the Egyptians, was Religion and Liberties. Let us go to hold a Feast, and to offer Sacrifice to the Lord our God, that is the quarrel of Religion; they groaned under the heavy iron yoke of bondage, longed to have that taken off; that is the quarrel of Liberties. Our Religion and Liberties are settled by the laws of the Land, not so Israel's in Egypt: and therefore the Antichristian party in their attempts to wrest them from us, are more unjust and cruel then of old was Egypt. Had Moses and Aaron quitted their Religion and Liberties, all the quarrel between Israel and Egypt had been ended: and would our Lord's and Commons now at length, after serious consultation, and mature deliberation, resolve for themselves and all the Kingdom to embrace any Religion, and submit to any way of Civil Government, which a Malignant Jesuited Council (too nigh the Throne) would tender or impose; would the Protestant party in City and Countries conclude upon it to make all their wills and to leave no other Legacies to their children and posterity, but Popery and Slavery: upon these terms we might have peace presently; even our bellies full.

[unspec 5] Fifthly, the way of Egypt's oppressing Israel was by secret subtleties and open hostilities, Come on, say they, let us deal wisely with them : there is subtlety, they fell upon them but with all their strength, even all the Chariots of Egypt; there's hostility: and surely the Egyptian spirits amongst us are wise in their generations, and have as many chariots as possible they can get for love or money, want no counsel, or strength, with which men or devils, Rome or Hell, knows how to furnish them.

[unspec 6] Sixthly, Egypt's greatest plague of all, was unseen, unselt, unlamented, to wit, hardness of heart, and impenitency; though Moses and Aaron held out a clear light for conviction, though signs and wonders were wrought before them, and plagues from heaven heaped upon them, yet hardened they their hearts against God and his people, and would not let Israel go: Our Presses and Pulpits have held out a light satisfactory to all, but such as shut their eyes, and will not see, but such as the God of this world hath blinded; our Parliamentary Worthies have declared, and declared, yea God himself hath declared against Egypt, and for Israel, by his discovery of plots, by the rising of well affected spirits in this, and the neighbor Nation, and that according to promise, Behold, the people shall rise up as a great Lyon, and lift up himself as a young Lyon, he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain; by wonderful deliverances and victories in the days of battle: yet who among all the Malignant Pack repents him of his evil ways, saying, What have I done? Some indeed repent of their facts, who of their faults? some turn up and down, from side to side, upon carnal, felfish principles, as a door upon the hinges, but who goes out and weeps bitterly? When the fifth Angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom was full of darkness, they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds; and it argues that the troublers of Israel are animated and acted by the spirit of the Beast, because though they fret and fume, rage and rave, yet they also repent not of their deeds: Among many of them, scarce appears the honesty of Achan, of Judas, confessing and giving glory to God?

[unspec 7] Lastly, The fatal stroke upon Egypt was the drowning of them in the Red sea: their design was to have drowned the male children in the rever, yea all Israel, by forcing them into the sea; but by a miracle of mercy Israel was delivered, and by the wisdom of divine Justice, the Egyptians were overwhelmed; and then Moses and all Israel sing a song unto the Lord: Even so Babylon shall fall, and that as a great millstone cast into the sea, and then all Israel of God shall stand, upon the sea of glass, to wit, trample Antichristian powers (which though many, as a sea of waters, yet are frail, and brittle as the glass) under their feet, having the Harps of God in their hands, and and the song of Moses and of the Lamb in their mouths, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God almighty, just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints, &c. Thus, as in a pair of Indentures, cut answers cut, and as in the water face answers face, so Rome answers Egypt, our enemies. Israel's.

[Obser. 2] The second observation propounded, was, that Israel's enemies have a Rock, their Rock; yet it is but a creaturerock, an imaginary rock: The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his conceit.

Their creature-rocks are various, for methods sake let me thus rank them.

[unspec 1] First, the enemy hath creature-rocks of God's making, but their Idolizing, men and horses, they trust in men: because they are many, witty, mighty; the deluded multitudes of men and women in the world, make up the many waters whereon the Whore sits, to wit people and multitudes and nations, and tongues, yea all that are engaged by Antichrist against Christ; again, because they are witty, the wise Statist, the deep braind Achitophel, and the spirit in the wheels, is the subtle Jesuit, yet farther, because they are mighty, mighty Gentry, mighty Nobles, and the mighty shadow of the empty name of abused Sovereignty. Add hereunto allies, confederates, at home or abroad, (as Ephraim of old went to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb ) take in the Papist, even to the Frier, and the Nun, (who now sleep not in their cells and cloisters) the Prelate, the Delinquent, the profane, the formalist, yea the Welch and Irish, and they all drive on the same Catholic design, though upon several grounds: some perhaps (I hope I speak low enough, but some and perhaps ) of our broken Nobles and decayed Gentry, having drunk, or diced, or drabd away their ancient demeanes, hope to raise their Houses again by spoil and plunder. The Papist is carried by a blind zeal, and the bloody principles of his Religion; the Prelate by his pride and avarice; the guilty Delinquent by the fears of Justice; the profane and formalist, by their impatience of bearing Christ's spiritual yoke in government and worship; the poor Welch it may be carried away by hopes of pay and booties, and the Cannibal-Irish by delights in their trade of blood: thus are they confederate against thee O Israel, the Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, of Moab, and the Hagarens, Gebal and Ammon, and Amalck, the Philistmes, with the inhabitants of Tyre, &c. These are the Ploughers that plough upon thy back, and make long furrows; the plough of persecution, that goes; the hands of evil Counselors hold and guide it, the cords of powers and policies are fastened to it, the horse in the Geeres are the brutish people made soldiers, these draw the plough though they sweat and bleed for it, have many a lash in their work and short provender after; the drivers, with a whip over them, are surious Commanders, and sometimes a Cavallier Priest comes up with Ghostly counsel, strokes them, claps them on the back to hearten them; and all the while the owner of the plough the devil, or the Pope his Bailiff, walks by to see the work go on; thus the plough works all the year long: The righteous Lord cut asunder the cords of these wicked ones.

Again, the enemies stay themselves upon a Rock of Horses, and Horsemen, because they are strong; though, when all is done, the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit.

[unspec 2] Secondly, the enemy hath a creature-rock of man's making, their strong Towns, Forts, Castles by land, and ships by sea, gold and silver are looked upon as a high wall, monies either forced away from owners at home, or begged or borrowed abroad. Again, they trust to their Idol God's of their own making also, and say to the works of their hands, Save us.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, the enemy hath another creature-rock (if I may so phrase it) of the Devils making, for he trusts in his very sins, and strengthens himself in his wickedness: so Doeg the Edomite.

[unspec 1] Their first rock of this kind are lies and delusions; the Devil was a lying spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets, Ahab trusted to their lies, engaged himself in an unlawful war, and it was his ruin; Do they not trust upon plausible Declarations, and lying Protestations, which have Religion, Laws, and Liberties in the Letter, but not in the Spirit of them? and upon Propositions, which have Peace in the mouth, but War in the heart? Nay, they trust to a monstrous lie, such a one as I think our fathers never heard of, a new upstart Anti-Parliament; this is a strange Sun risen in our Hemispheare, not to enlighten, but to darken our Horizon; yet wise men (Beloved) look upon the true Sun, which shines here in its proper Orbe, and upon that as a Meteor, a Parelius, the Apparition of a Sun in a thick watery cloud, yet such a one is ominous, portends rain and storms naturally, and foretells clandestine conspiracies for the troubling the peace of Kingdoms through wars and commotions, by divine ordination, supernaturally. Thus some Philosophers; but here is the difference between the natural Parelius in the cloud, and our unnatural Parelius in the State, that what the one portends only, the other acts; pours down storms of blood, plots against, and troubles Israel. I might tell you of another lie much trusted to, the lie of a bloody Peace in Ireland; and all these magic lying wonders are but to blind the eyes of the people, that Moses and Aaron might be the less regarded by them; Juggler-like, to raise a dust or a mist to act their feats in, or Philistim-like, to pull out the eyes of Sampson (for the people are the Sampson, the strength of a Nation) that so they may make him to grind in any of their mils; or if you will, high-way-cutter-like, to shoe their horses backward, that when by the tread of the foot you think they are gone East, the truth is, they are running full speed clean another way.

[unspec 2] There is another sin the enemy trusts unto, oaths and perjuries; oaths do but guild over lies, and perjuries help to strengthen forgeries.

[unspec 3] They trust to their sin of oppression; this was one of the rocks of Egypt, Keep Israel poor and low enough, and then you may do with them what you please; and this is Rome's Machiavilian policy to this very day.

[unspec 4] The enemy relies much upon his art and skill in the intoxication of Princes and great men with a cup of fornications, thereby holding them up in their engagements against Israel: this was the magic sleight of Egypt, to blow up, and keep alive the flame of Pharaoh's indignation, though he in himself had many inclinations to let Israel go, he must chide Moses and Aaron, even when they brought the message of the Lord unto him; these wily Sorcerers held Pharaoh captive, and by his means, Israel.

[unspec 5] Lastly, there is yet one sin more they much lean upon, Magic and Witchcraft; Balaam must be hired to curse Israel: and if Witches and Wizards have any power in their black Art, now is a time for them to drive a full trade, they may have work enough if they will work, either for love or money, for fear, hopes, or hatred; but let not this trouble thee O Israel, for, surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel.

[Observ. 3] The third observation was, that Israel hath a rock also.

[unspec 1] First, God; in his name and nature, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, &c. God in Christ, God in Covenant, Free-Grace in God the Father, full merit in Christ the Son, and powerful operation in God the holy Ghost make up a rock sure and steadfast for Israel to build upon; against which the gates of hell shall not prevail; the gates, where the Courts of Guard are kept, and the war-like strength of a City lies; the gates, where Courts of Justice are kept, in which wisdom and counsel lies, so that all the powers and policies of hell are too weak for this rock of Israel.

[unspec 2] Secondly, God in his Essence, Properties, Attributes, is all Israel's, I will be their God, makes over all that God hath to Israel. God hath a heart of mercy to pity Israel, a head of wisdom to advise for Israel, a hand of power to do anything for the good of Israel.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, God in promises of all kinds, justifying promises, sanctifying promises, persevering, glorifying promises; promises that concern the fall of Babylon, and the rise of Zion's glory, shows yet further strength in this rock of Israel: behold, and wonder at the gracious condescension of the great God, laying upon himself voluntary bonds and obligations, for the good and comfort of his Israel; the Creator making himself a debtor to his poor believing creatures.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, God in providence and providential experiments, is another piece of this rock of Israel; that providence which pitied England heathenish, and made it Christian, which pitied England popish, and reformed it; that providence that appeared in Eighty eight, and against the Powder-treason, and of late, at Keinton, Brainford, Gloucester, Newbery, &c. that providence which hath brought us out of Egypt, will bring us into Canaan, if our unbelieving, murmuring, ungrateful, or self-seeking hearts, make not our carcasses to fall in the wilderness; let us take up David's arguing, Our fathers trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them; and the reasoning of Mancahs wife, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering, and a meat offering at our hands; neither would he have shown us all these things, &c.

[Observ. 4] The fourth observation which lies clearly and expressly in the Text, is, that There is no comparison between the enemies rock, and the rock of Israel; their rock is not as our rock. First, compare the Idols of the enemies with the God of Israel, and you will find,

[unspec 1] First, that our rock hath his being from himself, his name is, I AM: Idols are made by the Art and industry of men, the hewer cuts down a tree, and of one piece of wood makes a fire, and of another makes a god; the Carver, and the Painter, and the worshipper, makes the Idol.

Secondly, our rock is solid, immutable in himself, in his Decrees; his power breaks all powers, his wisdom goes beyond all policies; whereas Idol-gods, you may break them in pieces, grind them to powder, and make Idolaters to eat and drink down those gods they have worshipped.

Thirdly, our rock hates iniquity, and doth punish it in any; the enemies see it, for often God makes them to be Judges over Israel, to wit, the executioners of divine judgments, and some think this is the truth also which the Text points at. And in this sense the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Romans, were, as enemies unto, so Judges over Israel *. But Idol-gods neither hate sin, nor punish sin in any; and the reason is given, from the ignorance and impotency of Idols.

Fourthly, our rock is a God of truth and goodness, the Idol rocks are rocks of lies and vanities, no way beneficial to their deluded worshippers.

[unspec 2] Secondly, compare all the enemies creature-rocks whatsoever, with Israel's Creator-rock; their imaginary rock, with Israel's real rock; you will see the transcendent excellency of this rock of Israel.

[unspec 1] First, our rock is a foundation-rock to build upon; the wise man, the believer builds his hopes and happiness upon this rock, and when the rain descends, the flood comes, and the winds blow, and beat upon his house, yet it falls not, because it is founded upon a rock; but the fool, the unbeliever, the formalist, though he seem to raise a goodly frame, a fair pile of building; yet when the storm comes, the house falls, and great is the fall of it, and all because it was not built on the rock, but on the sand. The Eagle-like Christian gets upon the wing by believing, and sores aloft in heavenly meditations and affections, and makes his nest on high, he dwells, and abides on the rock, upon the cragge of therock, and the strong place.

[unspec 2] Secondly, our rock is a sheltering rock, securing us from any, from all our enemies; David hides himself in a rock from Saul, and he cries, the Lord is my defense, and my God is the rock of my refuge: the rocks natural are a refuge for the Conies; if the Dog or danger appear, they pop into their holes, and so are safe; and this spiritual rock is a refuge for believers, when dangers and fears come, they earth and burrough themselves in Christ, and the name of the Lord is their strong Tower, they run into it, and are safe. God is a strong rock indeed, no breaking through it; an high rock, no climbing up, or scaling it, no drawing up of Cannon, or warlike engines against it; he is a sure rock, and some fancy it that our English word sure is borrowed from the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a rock; thus Israel dwells on high, and his place of defense is the munitions of the rocks, &c.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, our rock is a shadowing rock, from the scorching heat of divine indignation, and from the dazzling glory of God's essential Majesty: so in the prophesy, A man, to wit, Christ, shall be as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Moses saith to God, Shew me thy glory; God answereth, thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me, and live; but, behold, saith God, I will put thee in the clefts of the rock, and cover thee with my hand, and thou shalt see my back-parts, &c. God puts believers into Christ, as into the clefts of the rock, in him they see the Godhead veiled, they behold the back-parts of God and live.

[unspec 4] Fourthly, our rock is a watering rock, to cool the fired, to quench the thirsty, to cleanse the defiled, to revive the fainting soul that comes unto him. We read of Israel wrangling with Moses for water twice; and of Moses smiting the rock twice; first in Cadesh, in the second month, after Israel's going out of Egypt, and the other in Rephidim, in the seventh month; the waters that flowed upon the first smiting, gave present refreshing, and then vanished, but the waters which gushed out of the rock in Rephidim, continued and followed the Camp of Israel in all their march; and Israel, where ever they pitched their Tents, made pits to receive and hold those waters; yea, the Princes digged the Well, the Nobles of the people digged it; and Israel drank of the rock that followed them: And this rock was spiritually a type of Christ, so the Apostle; he was the rock smitten in his death and passion, from him the waters of life flowed, and flow after all the Camps of Israel, in all places, in all ages: we must make pits, and dignity Wels also; get humble hearts, and believing spirits, to hold these waters in. Some ancients fancy it that Israel took this rock of Rephidim along with them, and as often as they pleased, fetched water out of it; it is the fiction of some Rabbins and Schoolmen, that the rock was contracted into a little flint, which Miriam carried up and down with her in her bosom: all this is but fabulous, yet there is a truth in this; that every believing Israelite carries the rock Christ in his breast, and bosom; when he acts faith, he smites the rock, and then the waters of grace and peace flow upon him in all abundance. Israel was in great straits, ready to perish for want of waters, and waters were not to be gotten in all the wilderness; had it not been for the rock, all Israel had perished. Even such is thy case O man, thou didst need a Redeemer, couldst find no water in the wilderness, no salvation in thyself, or in the creatures; and had it not been for the rock Christ, all mankind had perished, and that eternally.

[unspec 5] Fifthly, our rock is a feeding rock to every hungry soul that comes unto him; the Lord made Israel to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock: honey, that is from the nests of Bees hived in the rock, or else the Lord fed them with Dates from the Palme-trees, which grew among the rocks, and with such kind of fruits as sweet as honey; and he fed them with oil from the Olive trees; thus God fed the believing Israelite, and was willing to feed him to the full, and with honey out of the rock to satisfy him: And how is Israel fed still, but out of the rock Christ? fed, by the word, the Gospel, which is sweeter then the honey, or the honey-comb; fed, with the graces of God's spirit, faith, love, evangelical obedience, as oil from the two Olivetrees in Zacharias' vision. Nay, more yet, Israel is fed with the bread of life, the Lord Christ, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed.

[unspec 6] Lastly, our rock is a rock of ages; Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength; or as in the Hebrew, a rock of Ages: all the rocks of enemies are sandy gravelly rocks, soon washed away, and crumbled into nothing: this rock is solid, and lasts to eternity; and this crowns all the rest, for this rock is a foundation-rock to eternity, a sheltering-rock to eternity, a shadowing-rock to eternity, a watering-rock, a feeding-rock to eternity: eternity makes Heaven, Heaven; and the rock of Israel to be of transcendent excellency above all other rocks whatsoever.

[Observ. 5] The fifth observation is but a proof of the fourth, from the testimony of Adversaries, even our enemies themselves being Judges. I might make out this truth from sacred Scriptures, and Ecclesiastical Histories, and tell you how after the time of primitive persecutions under the Roman Emperors, God raised up Constantius, who died at York Anno Dom. 310. and Constantine the great, heir of his Crown and virtues: I might tell you of the thundering Legion, and of Theodosius, who fighting with Eugenius, a mighty wind arose, and beat back the darts into the enemies bosoms, in whom, as in many others, God shown himself a rock for Israel: but I will content myself with the testimonies, and open acknowledgements of adversaries, which the Text points me to; we find their testimony arising from several grounds.

First, from conviction of conscience; hence, what Saul said of David, Thou art more righteous then I, the enemies are forced to say of the God of David, Thou art wiser then we, or our Idol-gods, and stronger then we, or all our rocks whatsoever; thus Balaam, though a covetous, cursed conjurer, God is not a man that he should lie, nor the Son of man that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? the Lord his God is with-him, the shout of a King is among them, he hath, as it were, the strength of an Unicorn, &c.

[unspec 2] Secondly, from the terrors of God upon their spirits: so the Egyptians, when the Lord took off their Chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily, they cried out, Fugiamus, fugiamus, let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians. So the Philistines, when they heard that the Ark of the Lord was come into the Camp of Israel, they were afraid; for they said, God is come into the Camp; And they said, Woe unto us; And again, Woe unto us, who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty God's? these are the God's that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the Wilderness.

[unspec 3] Thirdly, from their miserable experience: they dash against this rock, and it breaks them in pieces; hence the men of Ashd • d, when they saw Dagon fall before the Ark, cried out, The hand of the God of Israel is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god. The enemy finds, that the God of Israel hath really, what theirs fictitiously; though woollen feet, yet iron hands: they feel his blows to be weighty and terrible; and thus, that their rock is not as out Rock, the enemies themselves are Judges ; not from love, and affection, but from sense, and experience; yet in a controversy of this nature, the testimony of an adversary is of great strength and validity, and wrests from an adverse spirit, an acknowledgement of the power and justice of God, above what they fancy to be in their Idols. Having thus laid a Doctrinal foundation, let me crave your patience, to sum up all together in a joint Application.

[Use. 1] First, what hath been delivered may inform us.

[unspec 1] First, whence Israel's safety ariseth in evil times; from Israel's standing on a rock, on a high rock, above all the winds, and waves of boisterous, and menacing calamities: the perplexed enemies run as in a storm, from hedge to hedge, from bush to bush, from friend to friend, from plot to plot, but the tempest beats through all, and soaks in upon them: but Israel then is in a state of safety, not only on a rock, (for then possibly they might be beaten off by winds, and weather) but in a rock, yea, in a strong Tower within a rock, The name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righteous run into it, and are safe.

[unspec 2] Again, this discovers the folly of insulting enemies, they see weak Israel, but not the strong rock of Israel; were their eyes opened, to see the thousands of fiery Chariots upon the Mountains, they would say, there were more for Israel, then against it; the Ark is with Israel and where the Ark goes, there goes victory; and if the Philistines do, by a permissive providence, take the Ark and run away with it, the curse of God follows them; they set it in the house of Dagon, and then down falls Dagon; they carry it from Ashdod, to Gath, from Gath, to Ekron; but still the plague of Emrods vexeth them, and a very great destructioin falls upon the place where the Ark comes; and the Philistines are never at quiet, till they have returned the Ark back again to Israel. Edom cries against Jerusalem, Rase it, rase it even to the foundations thereof: but what saith the rock of Israel against Edom? The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocks, whose habitation is high; that sayest in thy heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? though thou exalt thyself as the Eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the Stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

[unspec 3] Lastly, this shows whence it is, that Israel flies, or falls at any time before their enemies; that a few men of Ai rout the thousands of Israel; yea, that the very Turks over-run Christians; it is, because the rock of Israel forsakes Israel: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? the sin of Israel makes the God of Israel, to sell off Israel; to part, as it were, with his property in Israel, and to put them into the hands of enemies, to be seeming owners of them, and Lord's over them: Yea, the Lord is forced to sell his people for a thing of naught, as the Church complains; God is as it were weary of his people, and puts them off, upon any terms; the enemy never makes a purchase of Israel, till God sels off Israel; the enemy may catch, and catch at Israel, but in vain, till God gives up Israel into their hands; the enemy never captives Israel, till the Lord shuts up, and imprisons Israel, in the power of the enemies: but why doth the rock forsake Israel? because Israel forsakes his rock. It is but the dizzinesse of our brains, to think that the rock leaves us, when indeed we leave that. Israel believes not that God will carry on his work, notwithstanding all the signs and wonders wrought for Israel. Israel stoops to a base compliance with Ashur, Israel murmurs for peace, as of old, against Caleb and Joshua, when they saw that the sword must decide the controversy between them and the Canaanites; We have a generation that are mad upon peace, any peace, rather then fail, the bloody peace of Ireland; and that upon any terms, though they part with the Gospel of peace, and the God of peace, to make the purchase. Beloved, should such a degenerous spirit prevail among those that are entrusted with the great affairs of Church and State, (which the Lord forbid) then would the generation of the faithful say, with sad hearts, and weeping eyes, come, let us pack up, and be gone, and farewell England: and this should be my prophesy, There shall be great desolation, because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength. Oh! it is a sad thing to see the rebellion of a child contstrain a loving father, to give up the child into the bloody hands of an enemy enraged against child and father.

[Use 2] In the second place this may be for trial, whether or no, the rock of Israel be our rock. And this will be a ground of rejoicing, for property, and interest is the ground of comfort.

[unspec 1] First, this rock without us, if ours, breaks the rock within us; that natural hardness of heart, and rebellion of spirit against God; this rock turns thy rock into a standing water, to wit, thy hard heart, into constant meltings, and mournings for sin; it turns thy flint into a fountain of waters: but if all the counsels of the word fall upon thy heart, as the seed upon the rock; if God smite thee with a rod, and thou be not grieved; yea, consume thee, and yet thou refusest to receive correction; yea, makest thy face harder then a rock, and refusest to return: if neither God's speaking to thy rocky heart, in a word of instruction; nor his smiting of thy rocky heart, with a rod of correction, doth make thee break and yield before him; then hast thou for the present, cause enough to question thy comfortable right unto, or thy saving interest in this rock of Israel.

[unspec 2] Again, if Israel's rock be thy rock, then hast thou a high prizing of, a fast cleaving to this rock of Israel; a prizing of it as the Merchants Pearl, yea as a rock of Pearl, a cleaving to it as a drowning man hangs upon a rock, sticks to it, and if he dies, dies there with his arms grasping and hands clinging as it it were, pulling and haling the rock unto him: a believer looks upon God in Christ as his richest treasure, which he most prizes; as his safest resuge, to which he cleaveth. That rock in the Wilderness which the Heathen looked upon as a bare hard stone of no worth or value, that very rock by Israel was eyed as a fountain of life to them, and was of great esteem among them: and that Christ who being in this world as in a Wilderness, was looked upon by the men of the world, as without form or comliness, as if there were no beauty in him why he should be desired; that very Christ is looked upon by believers as the chief cornerstone, elect and precious. All mankind having suffered shipwreck in Adam, Christ appears as a planck to carry us to shore; nay, as a rock to secure ourselves in: the Gospel is as a finger pointing us unto, or as a hand leading and carrying us unto, and setting us upon the rock Christ, and then, O what prizing of Christ, what cleaving to Christ, the voice of David is the voice of every believing soul, The Lord is my rock, in him will I trust, &c.

[unspec 3] Lastly, he that hath a property in this rock, builds upon it by acts of faith, and by renewed obedience; he that hears and doeth, he builds wisely, lays Christ the rock for a foundation, and so builds room after room, story upon story, grace upon grace; justification (as it were) the first story, Sanctification the second, glorification the highest, even as high as Heaven, and all this upon and from the rock the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Use 3] In the next place, what hath been delivered, speaks comfort to believers, who are in this rock; I may say to each of them, if there be any comforts in God, in Christ, in promises, in providence, its all thy portion; if thou wantest whereon to build all thy hopes, God in Christ is a rock of foundations; if enemies annoy thee, men or Devils, he is a rock of defense and shelter; if the sense of thy sin and God's wrath lies burning and scorching upon thy spirit, he is a rock of shade to cool and refresh thee; if thou hunger and thirst after righteousness, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, increase of grace, &c. he is a watering rock, a feeding rock to thy soul, only speak to the rock by prayer, and smite the rock by acts of saith, and the living waters of consolation will flow abundantly upon thy soul, yea suck this rock, lay thy mouth close unto it, thou shalt suck honey out of it, even the sweetest graces and consolations that thy soul can wish for; if thou fearest thou shalt fall off from the rock, fall quite away, then know, thou art in that rock that is a rock of Ages, thy safety lies not in thy holding the rock, but in the rocks holding thee; this rock of Ages will preserve thy soul to all eternity. Israel murmured, rebelled, the rock only is smitten; mankind sinned, Christ only suffered: and that God which gave waters out of a rock to rebels for a corporal, temporal salvation, gives waters of life out of Christ more freely and abundantly to believers for their salvation spiritual and eternal. God put Moses into the rock, and laid his hand upon the hole of the rock, kept in Moses, and he was safe: God puts believers into Christ by election from eternity, and by a hand of love, of power and providence holds them in Christ safe to eternity. Solace thy self against the guilt of sin, the horror of conscience, the curses of the Law, the malice of Satan and all the powers of Hell, O thou trembling, and yet believing soul, thou art as the Dove in the clefts of the rock, safe from all these fowls of prey, that would devour you; the portion of every believing soul is, what Balaam lays out as the portion of the Kenites, Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock: the Kenite thought himself secure, because he dwelt by Israel; O how great is the safety of a believer who dwells in the God of Israel.

[Use 4] The same truth which sparkles out comfort to the friends, sends forth flames of terror upon the enemies of God, his Christ, his Cause, his People, they beat as waves against this rock, but dash themselves in pieces; the same Hebrew word that signifies a rock, signifies also an edge, a sharp knife, or stone, so that all opposers of God in his Cause & people, do but run upon the knives point, upon the edge of God's sword, which he will sheath and fat in the bowels, will bath and make drunk in the blood of his enemies. The privative misery of the ungodly, or enemies, is that this rock will not save them: the positive misery, that this rock will break them; the murmuring Israelites drank of the rock in Rephidim as well as the believing, but of the spiritual rock Christ and of the waters of life flowing from Christ, none drink but believers only.

Gideon slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and God will slay and sacrifice idolaters upon their Idols; that rock which is a rock of defense to Israel, proves a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense to the enemy, who stumble at the word, being disobedient, and that by the design of God the Father, who hath laid in Zion this stumbling stone, this rock of offense. Hear and tremble at that terrible Proclamation of vengeance, Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken, but on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to powder: whosoever, be he Prince or Potentate, shall fall upon this stone, shall justle or brush against this corner stone Christ, shall be scandalized at him, shall oppose and persecute him in his members, in his ordinances, in his work of Reformation, shall be broken, it may be in his judgment, be crazed in his intellectuals, filled with errors, broken in his morals, given up to vile affections, broken in his name, and his state, with dishonor and penury. There is a dreadful Emphasis in the original against him, he shall be broken all in pieces, into small shivers and fitters as glass, ice, or earthen vessels, irreparably, with a bar of iron: but on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to powder: this word also hath a dreadful emphasis in it, and implies the grinding of him so small, that he may be cast as dust into the air, and the wind scatter him. The poor man is in a sad case when a great man his enemy falls upon him with all his power, it beggars him and his, makes him to fly his country, and become a vagabond: the troublers of our Israel look upon it as a thing full of terror, to have Parliamentary justice fall upon them, and therefore stand it out to the death, and choose rather to be cut off by the sword of war, then that of justice, as deeming it a lesser stain to their blood and families, to fall by the bullet or the sword, then to die under the axe or halter; oh then how dreadful and bitter a thing must it needs be for any to live and die in their naturals, upon whom Christ this great rock will fall in the day of judgment with the fullness of his fury? they who now are not hid in the rock, shall not then be hid from the rock, but the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, &c. shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and shall say to the mountains, and the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?

[Use 5] Lastly, the Doctrine delivered affords a word of exhortation to the enemies and friends of the rock of Israel.

[unspec 1] First, oh you enemies, why do you dash your heads against this rock? you will but beat out your brains thereby; come into Christ, to his cause, dwell in this rock: let me speak to you as the Prophet to the Moabites, O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the Cities, and dwell in the Rock, and be like the Dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the holes mouth; this will be your wisdom, this your safety, for there is none holy as the Lord, neither is there any Rock like our God, as Hannah sweetly sings it out in the joy of her spirit.

[unspec 2] Secondly, the counsel to believers, who are the friends of the God of Israel is,

[unspec 1] First, that they would sacrifice praises to this rock of Israel for all the evils that they are delivered from, and for all the mercies that they are delivered to: David saith in a vein of praises, The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted; Scotland may say, the banders prevailed not against the Covenanters, Reformation is settled by highest Authority in despite of Papist, Prelat, Pope, or Devil, lies as Gideon's Fleece, dry in peace, when England, Ireland, and other Nations are as the ground round about, wet and soaked in the blood of the slain inhabitants; and therefore let Scotland say, The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted; yea, England may say, I enjoy a Parliament, a lasting, a wise and indefatigable Parliament, wherein as yet the Jacob's have been too hard for the Esau's; I am well eased of High-commission, Star-chamber, and the iron yoke of Episcopacy; I have the Lord of Hosts fighting my battles for me at Keinton, Newbery, &c. I enjoy a renowned Metropolis no rebellious City, and therefore let England say, The Lord-liveth, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted; yea, let both the Nations provoke each other to an height of praises, and cry each to other, O come let us sing unto the Lord, and let us make a joyful noise to the God of our salvation; our care must be to get the spirit and reality of praises in the sincerity of obedience, and the engaging ourselves, our estates, our liberties, our lives, our all for God and for his Cause. Hannah having the mercy of a son, names him Samuel, that is, asked of the Lord, makes her song of praise, and spiritualizeth her praises, lends or gives her Samuel unto the Lord; all the mercies, deliverances, victories, parts, gifts, &c. we enjoy, may be named Samuel's, asked of the Lord, or rather, out of preventing bounty, given of the Lord; our return of praises must be our lending, our giving all back again unto the Lord; you have already in a degree fulfilled that prophesy of Zacharias, have wrote upon the bells, or bridles of your horses, Holiness unto the Lord; upon your pots, your bowles, your plate, Holiness unto the Lord; write on still you wise States-men, write upon your foreheads, upon yor brain-pans, Holiness unto the Lord. You rich men and wealthy, write upon your bags, and purses, Holiness unto the Lord; your lending to God in his cause will be upon the best usury, and when all is done, Publikefaith under Heaven, is the best security. You valiant Commanders and brave resolute Soldiers, young men and strong, write upon your arms and thighs, upon your swords and spears, Holiness unto the Lord; go on in a pious prodigality of your blood and lives: the Cause is good, look to the grounds and principles you move upon, to the ends you aim at, that they be good also, and then I will say of you, as Cyprian said of persecuted Christians, you may be slain, but not overcome: when you die with the Cause of Christ in your hearts and in your hands; and when you are engaged in the battle, drink down this cordial Dilemma, If you live, you will live honored, if you die, you will die martyred.

[unspec 2] Again, be exhorted to be rocks one to another, dash not one against another; what though there be variety of judgments among us, why may we not be one in our affections? why not one against the common adversary? The Sheep, though they butt and thump one another, yet they will all head together against the Dog. I hope in God that he will make the Assembly of Diviner a pattern of agreement to all the friends of truth and peace that behold them; I will wait for the fulfilling of that promise (if not a Synod promise, yet a promise, as some conclude, of the sweet accord of Ministers in the days of the Gospel) Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim, but they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines, &c. to wit, lay out their strength against the public enemy of truth and peace. And you the Worthies, follow peace (I mean not a base complying peace with the public enemy, for private ends) but a sweet unanimous peace among yourselves, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 follow it as the Hue and Cry follows the flying felons, follow it as the young Gentleman follows his game in chase over hedge and ditch, through thick and thin, thus follow peace among yourselves with greediness and delight; jarring and divisions here, is the best music and melody that can be made elsewhere among your enemies at home or abroad. And now could I lift up my voice like a Trumpet, and speak to all the Counties of the Kingdom, my advice should be, that they would stick to, and be rocks to the Parliament, which is a rock to them, to contend earnestly for the faith for Religion, as also for Laws and Liberties. It is England's sin and misery, that many parts of the Kingdom, either poisoned by a rotten Ministry, or misled by a loose Gentry, have deserted the Parliament, and therein God, his Cause, his people yea, their own privileges and themselves also; the very same men that not long since groaned for a Parliament, now (though without cause) groan under it, like the sickle froward child that cries for this thing and that, and no sooner hath it, but is weary of it, and cries as fast. Away with it, away with it; or like the giddy Jews, shouting Hosanna, Hosanna, and with the same breath, Crucify him, Crucify him; or like the fretfull Patient, who drinks down the Potion, but when he feels it work, doth up with it again; or as the hand that lays on the plaster, because it smarts a little, the same hand tears it off again; and would the unnatural Parliament, and Kingdom-deserters speak out, their reason would be the enmity, and the rancor of their spirits against Christ and his work of Reformation: the profane selfish people would have had man's carnal yoke taken off from their shoulders, but not Christ's spiritual yoke laid on; longed to have the walls and houses of Jerusalem built, but not the Temple, the affairs of the State settled, but not of the Church; this Kingdoms peace and plenty they greedily desired, but not the glory of Christ's Kingdom; and though often they patter over their Pater-Noster, yet they never say in faith and truth, thy Kingdom come: and the cause (in a word) why these are so little for the Parliament, is, because the Parliament is so much for God, for Christ, his cause and people.

[unspec 3] Lastly, Build upon this rock for all good personal and National, for all evil to the enemies, they shall fall, build upon it, to God belongeth vengeance and recompense, their feet shall slide in due time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that come upon them make hast; live by faith, that is a building grace, lie low in humiliation, self-judging, sin-abhorring, that is to build also; if thou sayest, I cannot believe, cannot get into the rock, yet then entreat the rock to lead thy soul unto, and to set it upon the rock; so David, from the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher then I. If again thou object and say, I cannot mourn for my own sins, much less for the abominations of the times, yet still go to that God who makes the rock to pour out rivers of oil, to that God whose word is a fire to melt thy heart, a hammer to break that rock in pieces. Again, build in prayer. So David, The Lord is my rock, I will trust in him, I will call upon the Lord. Yet further, be single hearted in obedience, that is building also; yea, it concerns those that have power in their hands, to give out an act of obedience to God in execution of judgment upon his enemies; there is a time when obedience is better then sacrifice; yea, obedience, in putting of Agags to the sword, according to God's command; yester days feasting was good, and this days fasting good, and (let none think it bloody divinity if I say) execution of judgment is good also Phineas stood up & executed judgment, and so the Plague was stayed. Joshua prayeth, and prayeth till the eventide, rents his clothes, puts dust upon his head, &c. But what saith the Lord to Joshua? Get thee up, wherefore liest thou upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they also have transgressed my Covenant which I commanded them, &c. Whereby God tutored Joshua to this, that the readiest way to conquer Ai, was to stone Achan.

I know many sad thoughts concerning this lie in the spirits of believers, and therefore wonder not though I become your remembrancer herein this day.

Let me beseech you the Worthies of the Nation, in the bowels of Christ to go on resolutely in the Cause of Christ; true, your oppositions have been, and probably will be great and many, yet may you for the present, set up a Marble Monument of praises, and name it Eben-Ezer, the stone of help; and say with Samuel, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Me thinks I see you like Jonathan and his Armor-bearer, climbing and clambering up the rocks upon your hands and upon your feet, yet know your success shall be glorious the Philistines slain and vanquished; it was a good saying, that the Event of that war cannot be dubions where the Lord of Hosts is General. God hath sworn the fall of Antichrist and his adherents, and that with such solemnity (to strengthen Faith, and quicken Prayer) that scarce the like in all the Scriptures, The Angel that swears is Christ, his swearing gesture or posture was, he stands upon the Sea and upon the Earth, and lift up his hand to Heaven; and whom swears he by? by Him that lives forever and ever, who created Heaven and the things that therein are, and the Earth, &c. his Oath is by the Eternal Creator, and what swears he? that there should be time no longer, to wit, that Antichrist should be ruined, his adherents scattered.

Let my closing counsel be in the words of Jehoshaphat to Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his Prophets, so shall ye prosper. And in his words also, to the Priests and Levites, Deale courageously, and the Lord shall be with the good, the good God with a good cause and a good people; and when things are at the lowest, let our faith be then at the highest, triumphing over dangers and fears, because their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being Judges.