A Brand Taken out of the Fire, Part 2

A Brand Taken out of the Fire · Part 2

p. 35THE SECOND PART. The Webbe broken.

Psal. 64.

Vers. 7. But God shall shoot an arrow at them suddenly, their stroakes shalbe at once.

8. They shall cause their owne tongues to fall vponupon them, and whosoeuer shall see them, shall fly away.

WHere in, the holy Ghost vsing a borrowed This is the second part of the Scripture, describing vntounto vsus the defeature of their practises and confounding of the enemies.speech from Archers, and their shooting, doth heereby signifie thus much vntounto vsus: that as the arrow flyes swiftly, wee knowe not from whome, and suddenly hits, we know not when; so shall the Iudgements of God come vponupon the wicked, when they are least looked for, and suddenly surprise them to their greater confusion. Wherein first, it is worthy our obseruation, that the holy Ghost ascribes this notable defeature, and ouerthrow of the enemie, First, from the Author hereof almightie God.to the proper office, and worke of God. God shall shoote. For what can be a greater terrour to Traytors and Rebels, than to know, that as they in resisting power resist God: so they shall hauehave God to fight against them, before Rom. 13. 4. Prou. 21. 30. Hence hauehave Kings a notable comfort, that God will maintaine his owne calling. Psa 30. 1. Psa. 75. 7. Psal. 144.Rom 13:4Prov 21:30Ps 30:1Ps 75:7Ps 144whome they shall not be able to stand; Against, whom no power nor wisedome, nor counsell, shalbe able to preuaile: What greater comfort can there be vntounto Princes than this, that whereas it is God, that exalteth them, and not they themselues, it is he also that will maintaine his owne calling, and institution, and rescue his seruants from the hurtfull sword. Certainely, though Magistrates are so exalted, that they are aboue all others; yet by this they may p. 36learne, that the Lord is aboue them: that so they may be And are hereby taught that they are vnderunder God.humbled in the sence of their greatnesse; yea, though they are so high in regard of their callings, that all humane power is subiect vntounto them: yet this herein may humble them much more: that they are placed in such mutable and And being excluded his protection are subiect to the malice of the meanest.slipperie places, that if the Lord withdraw his protection from them, they shall be subiect to the power of the meanest creatures. Oh, that Princes would learne hence to establish their thrones, by kissing the sonne, and aduauncing his kingdome: oh that they would learne to bound themselues within the compasse of Gods protection, by seruing And therefore should learne to kisse the sonne, to keepe themwithin Gods protection.the Lord in feare and reioycing before him in reuerence: So should the Lord establish their Kingdomes for euer, and their enemies should be cloathed with perpetuall shame: so should their earthly honour bee a pledge vntounto them of euerlasting glorie: and this, that they gouerned faithfully ouer men, vnderunder God, should be a meanes to further them to raigne with God for euer. OnelyOnly, let them take heede that they tempt not the Lord, that because the Lord will And to vse their authoritie, vnderunder God to the punishmen of sinne.finde out their enemies, and auenge their cause: therefore they shall bee secure and carelesse in obseruing their practises, and meeting with their wickednesse by lawfull authority, vponupon pretence of leauing the matter vntounto God, and to gaine an opinion of vnseasonable clemencie. For as it is presumption to be our owne caruers in vengeance, when our priuate callings will not warrant vsus therein: so to keepe the sword in the scabberd, when it is put in our hands, and not drawe it forth for the cutting off of the wicked, as this is a betraying of that power which is committed vntounto vsus, so it is the meanes to exclude vsus Gods protection, and thereby to expose vsus to the malice of our enemies. And though on the other side we shal not be able to meet with all: (as who is able to search the heart of man;) and indeede, when the leaders shall be cut off, it stands many times with policie, and agrees with clemencie, And then shall they be sure, vnderunder shadow of his wings.to let the rest escape: yet neither let the wicked hereby flatter themselues that the bitternesse of death is past; p. 37neither let the Children of God distrust, but that all their enemies in time shall be confounded. For though Dauid may spare Shimei, when reuenge is not fit: yet the Lord And their enemies shall in due time be met withall.will hauehave a time to meet with that rayling enemie; and to snare him in the ginne, that his owne mouth hath layd. And though the aduersaries of the truth, may happily in some part for a time escape: (as it is necessarie, sōe should still remaine, that the faithfull be tryed: (yet let thē know that their destruction sleepeth not. Though Ioab may escape while the Sonnes of Zeruiah, are to stronge for the Kingdome, and his sinne not yet breake out to ripenesse VVhen their finne is ripe, 1. Kin. 2. 34.1 Kgs 2:34and perfection: yet the time shall come, when Salomon shall be stronge ynough for him: and the guilt of his former bloodinesse, shall driue him forward, to receiue the wages of bloud, by causing him in the end, in the time of vengeance.to breake out into apparant Rebellion. Oh consider this, you that embrew your hands in blood, and for the time goe vncontrolled, because power is in your hands. Behold the blood that you hauehave shedde doth crie for vengeance: and in the appointed time, the Lord will giuegive you vp to such a thirst of blood, as that none but the blood of the mightie will quench the same; that so your sinne now meeting with a power able to match it, may receiue the wages due vntounto the same. Certainly, whosoeuer makes not conscience, to spill the blood of those, who are deare in the sight of God, ouer whom he may hauehave power: he shall in the end make conscience of shedding no blood: that so at the length, hee may meete with his match, to shedde his owne blood. Would God our oppressors, and blood-suckers would consider this, and in the Booke of this prouidence, read Let Oppressors, and all blood suckers, read their successe, in the Booke of this prouidenee. Prou. 21. 1.Prov 21:1their owne successe. And though happily there may bee a pardon for the first offence; though the clemencie of the Prince may remit the first fact: (as the heart of the King is in the hands of the Lord, & it is the glory of a man to passe by an offēce) yet surely where there doth not p. 38follow a thorough reformation of life, there wil certainely bee a relapse into the same sinnes, that so at length vngeance may meet with them. Adomiah may escape once though hee prooue Traitor to his Lord: yet his sinne is restlesse, and at length will finde him out, and in the end hee shall bee caught in the bonds of his former iniquitie. Oh consider this you that abuse the patience of gouernement, to the hardning of your hearts, and multiplying of your iniquities, euen with greedinesse against your Soueraigne: Let all malecontents, and presumptuous opposites, take heed how they abuse the patience and clemencie of gouernement.certainely, the Lord which awaketh for the preseruation of his children, who preseueth his Annointed, and maintaineth his owne cause, he, euen he will giuegive you vp, to such desperatenesse of iniquitie in the end, that it shall pay you in due time, the shame it oweth you, to the glorie of God, and your iust confusion. Euen so (oh Lord) hasten the confusion of thine enemies, or conuert them speedily, for the accomplishment of the elect. It followeth. Shall shoot an arrow at them suddenly.

Behold now the admirable wisedome and powers of God in this effectuall maner of defeating his enemies, by The second circumstance in the defeature of the eenemie, leading vsus to the wisedome and power of God, in the manner of defeature.confounding their poliyes, in their seuerall practices, with his contrary iudgments answearable thervnto: And first consider wee, how deliberate consultation is here confounded with the suddennes of the vengeance: that they which tooke such time & laysure to bring their purposes to passe, they which so aduisedly consulted, to do mischeife vntounto others, shall now hauehave no time or leasure to consult their owne deliuerance, because the hand of the Lord shall come suddenly vponupon them, So doth the Lord threaten As first by sounding their warie, and long hatched treasons, with his sunaeden geance.Babel that rod of his indignation, that he will come vponupon her suddenly with many plagues. So doth the holy Ghost prophecie of that spirituall Babell that not onelyonly in one daie but euen in one hower she shalbe ouerthrowne: Yea her iudgment shall come vponupon her as the casting of a great milstone into the middest of the Sea, so sudden & violent shalbe her As he hath done of old.distruction. So do the seruants of God poynt out vntounto vsus p. 39the distruction of the wicked, that it shalbe suddaine and fearfull which cannot be auoided. A most holy and righteous course of Gods proceeding against the wicked, whether wee consider the affection of the Lord in laying And why?theise punishments vponupon them, or the end which he aymeth at, in confounding them in this life: or lastly the vse that he entendeth in regard of others. Concerning the affection of the Lord in the punishments of the wicked, as Heb. 12. 8. 1. To shew that he punisheth the wicked in anger. Psa. 2. 5.Heb 12:8Heb 12:1Ps 2:5the Lord chasteneth his children in louelove and of verie faithfullnes causeth them to be afflicted: so on the contrary doth hee consume the wicked in his wrath and sore displeasure. And therefore as he giues warning vntounto the one, to witnes his louelove vntounto them, that so they might be prepared to meet the Lord: so on the other side doth he ouer take the wicked, with his suddaine iudgments, that being vnprepared therevnto, they might be ouer-whelmed with the fury of his speedy indignation. And this also doth the end of their afflictions manyfestly declare, For whereas the Lord in these temporall plagues, entendes to giuegive them a tast of eternall 2. To pledge vntounto the wicked in temporal Plagues, eternall punishments.vengeance: therfore doth he lay them suddenly vponupon the wicked: that so confounding them by this suddenes, and driuing them to their wits endes, their harts might not onelyonly bee hardned and so enraged against the Lord, but further also this confusion of their wisedome, driuing thē to dispayre, they shalbe possed with the fearfull expection of Heb. 10. 27.Heb 10:27the vengeance to come. And surely seeing God doth turne all things to the good of the elect, therfore also doth he 3. For the good of the elect. Rom. 8. 29.Rom 8:29make the punishmentes of the wicked profitable vntounto them: and that especially by the consideration of the suddennes of them. For hereby the saints of God are In whome securitie is preuented, and comfort, giuen in their troubles by this difference, betwixt the godly & the wicked herein.forewarned of security, lest a sudden iudgment do ouertake them: hereby they are admonished to serue the Lord in feare, in that he deales so roundly and suddenly against the wicked: hereby also they gather comfort in all their crosses & troubles: that the Lord maketh a difference betweene them and the wicked, euen in that which seemeth to be alike vntounto both.

p. 40Oh that our carelesse impes would consider this: who 1 Heres a lesson for careles and presumtuous sin…rs to feare asuddain surprizall.spend their dayes in wealth, and put the euill day farre from them, that so they may more securely approach the sea of iniquity; that they would remēber this suddaine reckoning, and lay vntounto their harts this course of Gods iustice, euen to take sinne napping, and suddenly to surprise it. That they would remember how Ieroboam was smitten, euen when he stretched out his hand to smite, that they would remēber the suddaine hand-writing with sauced Belshazzers, To remember suddaine coming of Christ.sacriligious banquet: Surely though sudden vengeance did not meet with vsus in this life, yet did we remember that for all theise things we must come to iudgment, and that our iudgmēt shall come suddenly in the hower that we know not: It would make vsus be watchfull euen eueryevery hower, that so though it be sudden, yet it may not be sudden vntounto vsus, as being ready & prepared in some measure therevnto. And seeing the suddenes of a iudgment breedes great distractiō & takes away time of councell or resolution, as this should teach vsus not to be afraid of sudden death, If so be that we hauehave been by an holy life prepared therevnto: neither to censure others for dying suddenly: seeing wee hauehave sufficient testimony of their former liues: so it should be a very 2 Here we may learne. 1 Not to feare suddaine iudgments if we be prepared.fayre warning vntounto vsus not to put of our repentance vntounto the time of our deathes, least the horrour and suddenes of that messenger, distract vsus in our reckoning, and so we be surprised, before we hauehave made euen with our God, And seing the suddēnes of a iudgment, is herein onelyonly a note of Gods wrath, in that it findes the wicked vnprepared thervnto: as we are therefore not to pray further against suddaine iudgments, then that they may not finde vsus vnprepared: 2 Not to put of our repen tance till death.so are we not to distrust of Gods merciemercy though we be suddenly met with all, if so be that our soules hauehave formely been prepared to temptations. OnelyOnly we may rather wish, (if it so please the Lord) to see the plague before it cometh: 3 To wish that we may see the plague before it cometh.that so, fearing therod, we may depart from euill; and therby either remooue or sanctifie the iudgment vntounto vsus. Certainly as confindence in sinne makes eueryevery iudgment suddaine, p. 41so feare in the sence of our iniquities, preparing vsus to the end, Confidence in sinne makes euerie Iudgement sudden, and feare of sinne makes no Iudgement suddaine. 1. Thes. 3. 5.1 Thess 3:5doth thereby effect, that no scourge shalbe sudden vntounto vsus, As for the the wicked it is not so with them, their confidence in sinne makes them secure, and their security breedes a sudden iudgment. And thus doth the Lord confound their wisedome in consulting and deliberating, aduisedly of their mischiefs against the saints, by comming vponupon thē with his sudden iudgments. But this is not all. For though the iudgment be sudden, and so take them vnprepared A second circumstance, describing the maner of Gods wisedome, in the defeature of the enemie.yet it may be slow and moderate and so giuegive thē time of preparation, euen while the scourge is vponupon them. To preuent this, the holy Ghost addeth, that their stroake shall be at once. That is, their Iudgment shalbe as speedie in executing, as it was sudden in surprising: that so not taking time before to prepare themselues, now the swiftnesse, and greeuousnesse of the Plague, may take away time of preparation afterward; and so conuincing iustly their former abuse of the time past, doth thereby exclude them from all hope of merciemercy for the time to come: yea this speedinesse of the iudgement, implying also the sharpenesse and terrour of it, doth hereby make to their greater confusion, as being not able to vndergoe so extreame a scourge. Their stroakes shall be at once.

Behold heere a second point of Gods wisedome and power in the punishments of the wicked: hee will bee a Namely, meting with their manifold practises with one blow or stroake of his vengeance. 1. To confound their policie herem. 2. And to destroy them more fearfully.swife witnesse against them, to take them in their sinne: and take away from them oportunitie of repentance, that so his wrath may be powred out in full measure vponupon them. Surely a most holy and righteous course, not onelyonly hereby to confound their policie, in deuising many snares, as seeing them now all broken, as it were with one stroake, but further also to consume such fearefully, who thought all plagues too little against the Annointed of the Lord. So doth the Lord threatē the wicked, as with sudden, so with speedie Iudgements vponupon the wicked (saith the holy Ghost) he shall raine snares, fire and brimstone, and stormie tempest, p. 42this is the portion of their cuppe: all which are both sudden and speedie plagues: making quicke riddance, where once So hath the Lord threatned.they take hold. So hath the Lord executed from time to time, when once the date of his patience, hath been expired towards them. So was hee long before hee reckoned with the oldworld: an hundred and twentie yeares time gaue hee them to make vp their account, but when he came to And so hath he executed.Iudgement, in lesse than halfe a yeare did hee accomplish his fierce wrath: and swallowed vp in that short time (excepting onelyonly righteous Noah, and his children, together with the other vnreasonable creatures, that were reserued for future generation) euen all the Nations and creatures of the earth. So did the Lord deale with Sod…me and Gomorrha: he rayned vponupon them fire and brimstone, and so with one stroake made a full end of them: so that affliction did not 1 Nah. 12.arise the second time. And howsoeuer he deales not generally thus with all sorts of sinners; yet because the sinne of Treason, is a monstrous and capitall offence, neerely touching And so especially hath he met with this sin of treason.his Maiestie, as challenging his power, and spurning at his gouernement: therefore hath he vsed to meet with this sin, aboue all others, in this fearefull and speedie manner: So did hee iustifie his seruant Moses, in that propheticall challenge, which hee made against these desperate Rebels, Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, putting it to In Cora, Dathan, and Abiram. Num. 16, 29.Num 16:29this tryall, for the approbation of his calling: that if these men died the common death of all men, then the Lord had not spoken by him: the Lord (I say) iustified herein the authoritie of his seruant, and confounded their vnnaturall Rebellion, by a strange and woonderfull iudgement answerable thereunto. For as they were vnnaturall, and would not endure a superiour ouer them; so the earth became Ver. 32.vnnaturall, and would no longer endure their burthen; but euen left her soliditie, to swallow vp such monsters: and so conueyed them iustly to the Dominion of hell, who would not endure that power which was from heauen. So did the Lord meete with that rebellious Absolon, by as Absalon. 2 Sam. 18. 19. 14.2 Sam 18:192 Sam 18:14strange and speedie a iudgement, answerable to his sinne: p. 43making the crowne of his pride, his long & beautifull haire: to be the halter to hang him vp, betwixt heauen & earth: suddenly was he caught vp, and speedily was he dispatcht by another, who in that murther happily made way for his owne ambition, and also for the like fault dranke after 1 King. 2. 27.1 Kgs 2:27of the cup of vengeance.

Oh, that the enemies of gouernement would consider Let Traytors thinke hereaf in the pride of their manifold practices.this: that in the depth of their consultations, to lay many snares for others: they would remember that one stroake of Gods vengeance, would be too heauie for them. Surely, the consideration of this, that they are not able to endure the wrath of God: would bridle and qualifie their malice against the Lords Annointed: and mooue them contrarywise to heartie and cheerefull obedience vntounto man, that so therby they might regaine the fauor of God. Certainely, if they say in their hearts, there is no God; and Psa. 14.Ps 14therefore stand not vponupon that fauour, which they doe not acknowledge: yet let them respect the power of man, That so they may regaine Gods fauour in their obedience to his ordinance.which surely shall meete with their desperate attempts. And lest by their secret conueyance they might hope to escape; let them know further, that their sinne shall finde them out, and rather than they shall escape vnpunished: Behold, (saith the holy Ghost) Their owne tongues shall fall vponupon them, to betray their wickednesse: and become the executioners of Gods righteous iudgements vponupon them. For so it followeth.

He shall cause their owne tongues to fall vponupon them.Lest the Lord confound thē in the things they most trust in. A third degree of Gods iustice, against the wicked, confounding their secrecie from their owne mouths. Prou. 11. 8.Prov 11:8

Loe heere a third degree of Gods iustice against the wicked: themselues shall be the instruments of their owne confusion: & the snares which they hauehave laid for the righteous shall confound themselues, that the Lord may yet be more apparantly iustified when he iudgeth: and the wicked more confounded by the cause of their discouerie. A verie vsuall, and righteous course of Gods proceeding against them, discouering both the admirable vprightnesse of Gods Iudgements vponupon them, and also his profound wisedome in executing the same. It is a comfortable promise p. 44which the Lord makes vntounto his children, That the righteous shall escape out of trouble, and the wicked shall come in their stead. By which phrase (that the wicked shall Pro. 11. 8.Prov 11:8come in their stead) the meaning of the holy ghost is, that looke what troubles the wicked hauehave deuised against the So doth the Lord threatē. …sa. 7.Godly, what snares soeuer they hauehave layd to entrappe them, they shalbe the pits wherevnto them selues shall fall, and their owne mischiefe shall light vponupon their owne pates. So doth the spirit of God witnes that it hath befallen the wicked, he hath made a pit and diggedit, and is fallen into the pit that he hath made: and concludes the like And so hath he executed.course of Gods iustice for the time to come: that his mischiefe shall returne vponupon his owne head, and his crueltie shall fall vponupon his owne pate. So did cruell Haman erect a gallowes Hesth. 7.to make away the seruant of God, and yet at length was hanged thereon. So was the sword of Goliah the instrument of his own destructiō. And vponupon the experience Sam. 1. 17.hereof, the spirit commends it as worthy the obseruation And thus shall the Lord make away to his further acknowledgment. Psa. 9. 16.Ps 9:16vntounto all posteritie, & makes it a notable means to declare the iustice of God. The Lord is knowne by executing of iudgments, the wicked is snared in the workes of his owne hands, Higgaion Selah. Signifying, that this admirable course of meeting with the wicked, in their owne policies, and snaring them in their mischiefs, which they hauehave intended against the righteous, is a meanes to make euen the And the wickeds further confusion.wicked acknowledge God, and to confesse his righteous iudgements, in thus taking them in their inuentions. So when the enemies of God, had entended by powder, to So dealt he against the late conspi…ators.deuoure the Lords Annointed and his posteritie, and therby to bring an vnter confusion, both vponupon the church and common-wealth, & it pleased the Lord to take some of them in their owne snares, and by the like engine, to seaze vponupon them; then did they acknowledge the righteous hand of God, and whereas before they stood vponupon Confess. VVinte….a desperate defence, now being amated and confounded with this admirable iustice of God, they were not onelyonly compelled to giuegive testimonie thereunto, but further also p. 45to yeeld themselues, in a fearefull and desperate manner vntounto the same, and were further iustly cut off, euen by the like vengeance.

Behold here the righteous and woonderfull iustice of Lo here the equity of Gods iustice. Eccle. 10. 13.Eccl 10:13God against the wicked, in rendring treason with treason, that they which hauehave intended to betray others, shal now betray themselues, and so make way to the righteous iudgements of God. Oh, let all discontented and desperately malicious persons, learne hence this lesson, That they thinke no euill of the King, no not in their priuie chamber, that they neither speake nor practise any euill against the Lords Annointed. For behold, not onelyonly the soules of Let malecontents take heed of the secret thoughts or practices against the King, seing their owne tongues shall discouer them.the heauen, shall carrie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter, but there is a bird in the bosome, that shall discouer the same, and shall giuegive the tongue no rest, though it be neuer so hemd in with his double guard: till it hauehave eased the conscience, and iustified the Lord. And seeing the Lord is knowne by this manner of executing his iudgements, that the wicked are taken in their own snares, there by causing euen his enemies to giuegive testimony vntounto him: tremble then ye A…heists, which say in your harts, there is no God, when by his visible Iudgements, Let Athiests learne, that there tongues are not their owne but that their is a God that o…er…rules them. Ier. 3. vers. 25. vers. 23.Jer 3:25hee thus iustifies himselfe against you, and compels your mouthes to confesse his power. And seeing his righteous purpose, by this his admirable proceeding against you, is to confound you in the thing you most put confidence in, Oh, lye down in your confusion, and let shame couer your faces. in that you and your fathers hauehave sinned against the Lord your God. Say now with those true conuerts, That the hope of the hils is in vaine, that all your carnal wisedome, and confidence hath grosly deceiued you: And let this wonderfull wisdome of the Lord, thus finding you out in your secrecie, & confounding you in the same; cause you to hate the darknes, that hath so deceiued you: And to giuegive your selues Let Papists hate the darknes that hath th…s deceiued them.hereafter to be informed by the light, that so howsoeuer your sin may be met withall, by tēporall iudgments in this life, yet being a meanes to worke in you true repentance, p. 46your soules may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus.

As for vsus (beloued) who hauehave this experience of Gods merciemercy let vsus not hereafter be afraid of the policies of the As for the Sa…nts of God, let them not fearethe secret policies of the wicked. Nor close with them. But resist themwicked; let not their power, & secrecie, nor any subtiltie, that they shall be able to vse, cause vsus to close with them in their policies, or to eat of such thinges as please them: that so we may hold them frends vntounto vsus therby, and free our selues from the snares, which they hauehave laid to entrap vsus. If we resist the Diuell, he will fly from vsus. And if we giuegive not our strength to these Witches children, and betray not our selues vntounto them, by fearing their policies, & so daubing with them: Behold, the Lord watcheth ouer vsus, to ouer-turne their mischiefs, and rather than faile their own And then they shall fall, euen with their owne waight.tongues shall disclose them: that so they may fall into the pit which they hauehave digged for others. It followeth. And whosoeuer shall see them, shall fly away.

The meaning whereof is, that the terrour of such iudgments, A fourth meanes of the wisedome of God, in confounding the leagues and confederacies of the wicked, by scattering and dispersing them. Not onelyonly the Actors in the mischiefe, but the spectators also.which the Lord hath layd vponupon them, shall so distract and confound their wisedome in their leagues and confederacies, that they which banded them selues together, for the desolation of the church: seeing now the same deliuered, and them selues iustly met withall: shall not onelyonly hereby be scattered and dispersed, by the seuerity of the vengeāce: but further also shall most fearfully disperse them selues, to auoid (if it may be) that reuenging hand. Yea not onelyonly the Actors in this mischiefe shalbe put to flight: but whosoeuer shall see this fearfull hand of God vponupon them, shalbe roused hereby out of his former security: and seeing his owne sinne in the glasse of their vengeance: shall feare the rod, which lights so heauily vponupon them: and fly for his life to auoid the same. So do the iudgments of God scatter the deuises of the wicked: So do they also awake and terrifie others, that are subiect to like notorious sinnes.

Thus when the Captain of the host of Israell, had executed So hath it been in former time. Iosu. 5. 1.Josh 5:1the wrath of God vponupon some part of those accursed Canaanites: the holy Ghost witnesseth, that the feare of p. 47him fell vponupon all the nations round about, who being guilty of the same sins, did therefore expect the like iudgments, and so in a desperate manner exposed them selues therevnto. So when the Champion of the Philistines was cut of 1. Sam. 15. 511 Sam 15:51by the Lords warriour, the holy Ghost witnesseth that the Philistines fled and were dispersed. And this to hauehave been the effect of great iudgments, vponupon the enemies of God, So hath the holy Ghost witnessed of Egypt, Rome, Ashur, &c. Ezek. 31. Reuel. 18. Esay. 13. 14.Ezek 31Rev 18Isa 13:14the holy Ghost witnesseth in their seuerall cōfusions. Yea thus hauehave the iudgments of God, from time inflicted vponupon malefactors, been the meanes to awake others, and so to terrifie them, that hauehave been guilty of the same sinnes, that by some token or other: either by flying or blushing, by complaining or pytying, by iustifying or such like, they hauehave verie wonderfully betrayd them selues, and so hauehave exposed them selues to the like iudgments. So were the companies of these rebells scattered, when once the head of their treason was broken: so did they further each other to their iust confusion.

A most wise & righteous course of Gods proceeding against the wicked: that they which wil not be ioined with And that iustly, because they labour the dissoluing of the Communion of Saints.God, but say, let vsus breake his bandes, and cast away his cords from vsus: should not hauehave any durable socyety among thē selues: that they which abuse society to fight against God and his church, might want the comfort of society when they hauehave most neede thereof, and be scattered from each other, for their more speedy apprehension, & confusion: who hauehave labored to dissolue the cōmunion of the saints. Euen so, oh Lord, let all the enemies be scattered, that such as belong to thee, being thus disapoynted in their carnall fellowship, may seeke to be members of that body of thy sonne, which no malice of Satan shall euer be able to seperate.

Obserue wee here, first, the wonderfull power of God Learne wee hence, that no confederacie can preuaile against God.by confounding the strength of the wicked, in this banding and combining of them selues against the godly: and learne we that their is no councell nor confederacy against the Lord: Nay though the wicked shall make a league with death and be at an agreemont with hell it selfe: though Satan and p. 48all his legions should conspire with them against his little flocke, yet when the Lord shall lay iudgment to the rule & righteousnes, to the ballance their conuenient with death shalbe dissolued, and their agreement with hell shall not stand. Let vsus not therefore be seduced, to cast in our lot with the wicked, Pro. 1.Prov 1let it not encouradge vsus to sinne, because many go the broade way: seeing as multitude of offenders doth increase the sin; so doth it further the punishment due thervnto, as prouoking so many instruments to the executiō of vengeāce, as there are miserable partakers in the greeuousnes of the sinne. If we desire to hauehave comfort in societie, let vsus hauehave fellowshipp with our God, by the obedience of faith, let our delight be in the saints that are on earth: So when the wicked fly & are scattered fearefully, we shall see the vengeance that hath iustly ouertaken thē, yea this righteous hand of God in dispersing the wicked, shall be the meanes, to confirme & knitt vsus comfortably together, that we may go vp into the house of the Lord to sing prayses vntounto his name: Thus when the Lord shalbe beneficiall But to delight in the Lord & in his saints. Psa. 142. 7. Psa. 38. 11.Ps 142:7Ps 38:11vntounto me, then, saith the prophet, the righteous shall resort vntounto my company, who before stood a farre of for feare of my plague: Yea when the Lord shall returne the captiuitie of Sion, this shall further be a means of the encrease of the church. Then saith the spirit, shall ten men take hold out of all languages, euen take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew, and say we will go with you, for wee hauehave heard that God is with you. Thus as the confounding of the practices of the wicked, shalbe a meanes to scatter and disolue their confideracies, so the deliuerance of the church, shalbe a furtherance to the gathering againe of the dispersed of Israell, that they may behold, and conferre of what the Lord hath done for them, and so be prouoked to ioyne together in due thankfullnes vntounto his Maiesty for the same. For so it followeth.