A Supplement to the Several Discourses Upon Various Divine Subjects, Discourse 3

A Supplement to the Several Discourses Upon Various Divine Subjects · Discourse 3

p. 42A DISCOURSE UPON THE Fifth of November.

Exod. 15.9, 10.

The Enemy ſaid, I will purſue, I will overtake, I will divide the ſpoil; my luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them; I will draw my ſword; my hand ſhall deſtroy them; Thou didſt blow with thy wind; the Sea covered them; they ſank as Lead in the mighty waters.

AN Anniverſary Commemoration of a memorable Deliverance falling upon this Day, hath cauſed a diverſion of my thoughts, to look back, not only upon a mercy never to be forgotten, but to look forward to that Deliverance which is to come parallel to this in the Text. Iſrael was a Type of the Church, Pharaoh a type of the Churches Enemies in all Ages of the world, both of the ſpiritual Enemy, Satan, and of the temporal, his Inſtruments.

The Deliverance was a type of the Deliverance that Chriſt wrought upon the Croſs by his Blood. Alſo, of that Chriſt works by his power upon his Throne, the one from the Reign of Sin, the other from the Empire of Antichriſt.

This was the Exemplar of all the deliverances the Church was to have. As the Aſſyrian ſhould lift up a ſtaff againſt Jeruſalem, after the manner of Aegypt, ſo the Lord ſhould lift his rod up for them upon the Sea after the manner of Aegypt, when the Yoke ſhall be deſtroyed becauſe of the anointing, Iſa. 10.26, 27. when the power of the Enemies ſhall be deſtroyed by the ſtrength of Chriſt. The Lord himſelf makes it his pattern in thoſe victories he is to gain for his people; when he calls upon his arm to awake as in the ancient days, when he cut Rahab, and wounded the Dragon, and made the depths of the Sea a way for the ranſom'd to paſs over, Iſa. 51.9, 10, 11. then the redeemed of the Lord ſhall come with ſinging unto Sion, the Song of Moſes, while they ſtand upon a Sea of Glaſs, a brittle, frail, and ſtormy world, Rev. 15.3. And our Redeemer makes this his pattern & rule, when he comes to tread the Wine-preſs in wrath, and make them drunk with his fury, that then he would remember the days of old, Moſes and his people, when he divided the water before them, to make himſelf an everlaſting name, Iſa. 63.1.2.11. that his power may be as glorious in the latter, as it was in the former, and all deliverances of the Church from the beginning to the end be knit together to be an everlaſting matter of praiſe to his name.

This Hiſtorical narration is to have a more univerſal accompliſhment; the deliverance from Aegypt is promiſed to be fulfilled a ſecond time, and God would act the ſame part over again, as alſo their deliverance from Ogg King of Baſhan, after the aſcenſion of Chriſt, Pſa. 6.22. The Lord ſaid, I will bring again from Baſhan, I will bring my people from the depths of the Sea. This is after he had aſcended, v. 18. when he came to wound the head of his Enemies, v. 21. So Iſa. 11.15. The Lord ſhall utterly deſtroy the tongue of the Egyptian ſea, and with his mighty wind ſhall he ſhake his hand over the river, and ſhall ſmite it, in the ſeven ſtreams, and make men go over dry ſhod. Nilus with its ſeven ſtreams was the glory of Aegypt, and Rome with its ſeven hills is the glory of the Papacy, Rev. 17.9. So Zac. 10.10. I will bring them again out of the Land of Aegypt, and they ſhall paſs through the ſea with Affliction, and the deeps of the river ſhall dry up. Pharaoh and his army cannot revive and ſtand up in their former ranks; but p. 43there ſhall be deliverances with reſemblances to that, when the Enemies ſhall be as arrogant and furious as Pharaoh, and the Church as dejected and ſtraitned as Iſrael.

The Text is a part of Moſes his Song. A carmen foreign, A Song after victory: A Panegyrick, the praiſe of God attended with dancing at the ſight of the Aegyptian wracks, v. 20.

1. It was then real; The Iſraelites then ſang it.

(2.) 'Tis typical, the conquerours of Antichriſt ſhall again Triumph in the ſame manner, Rev. 15.3.

(3.) It was an earneſt of future deliverance to the Iſraelites. When God appeared for them in their firſt Exit, he would not fail in that work which ſhould conduce ſo much to his glory; it was a Pledg, that his purchaſed people ſhould paſs over, and be planted in the mountain of his Inheritance v. 16, 17. There is in the words,

1. A Deſcription of the Enemy.

2. His defeat.

The Enemy is introduced laying his council, and vaunting his reſolution. By an elegant Climax, and orderly proceeding, I will purſue, I will overtake, I will divide the ſpoyl, my luſt ſhall be ſatisfied, &c. They laid the foundation deep in council, built their reſolves high in power, and then applaud themſelves in their Inſolence.

I will purſue. Had he no reflections upon his former ſucceſſeſs attempts to keep the Iſraelites in ſlavery? or could he with any reaſon hope to reduce them with his bafled ſtrength to that yoke, which had been broken by a powerful Arm? Had he not reaſon freſhly to remember his own inability to remove one of the plagues ſent upon them, to promote Iſraels reſcue? Was that high arm which brought them out of Aegypt broken? Gods weapons blunted, his magazine of plaguing Ammunition waſted, & his ſtrength too feeble to preſerve thoſe he had by a ſtrong hand redeemed? Theſe things be obvious to Pharaoh's thoughts. Yet, I will ſtill purſue. How heady and raſh are the Churches Enemies! Infatuation is the uſher to Deſtruction: When you find the Churches Enemies loſe their wits, you may quickly expect they will loſe their ſtrength and lives.

I will divide the ſpoil. He promiſeth them this victory before the conflict, encourages his Souldiers with hopes of the prey, which was the recovery of their Jewels which the Iſraelites had borrowed by Gods order, and the Aegyptians had lent them by a Secret Impreſſion, and the flocks and herds of the poor Iſraelites to boot.

How great is the pride of the Churches enemies! They ſtrut without thinking of a ſuperior power to curb them, and promiſe themſelves the accompliſhment of their deſigns without fearing the check of Providence. Thus did Siſera's Mother triumph in a preſumptuous hope before a victory, Jud. 5.30. and ſing Te Deum before a conqueſt. Ventoſa et inſolens natio is the title Pliny gives the Aegyptian Nation.

My luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them **foreign My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied.. How revengefully do they expreſs themſelves? They apprehend themſelves cheated of their Jewels by the Iſraelites; ſuch an apprehenſion would increaſe rage and animoſity.

I will draw my Sword, my hand ſhall deſtroy, foreign, my hand ſhall Diſinherit them. I will reduce them like a company of fearful fugitives by brandiſhing a drawn Sword, that they ſhall quickly return to their former bondage and become the perpetual Inheritance of the Aegyptians. How ſecure are the Churches Enemies! The ſight of a glittering ſword, and an edict for a return they thought would quell their Spirits; 'Tis true they had to deal with an unarmed people, unprovided for defence, whoſe late ſlavery had rendered them unfit for military exerciſes, an unequal match for a numerous and diſciplin'd Army. But what if they were? had they not the ſame power to protect them in their march, which had brought them out of their bondage? This the enemies never reflected on: Pride and ſecurity are always twins.

In v. 10. You have their defeat. The Sea quenched the Fire of their rage, and laid flat the towers of their proud confidence. God blows with his wind, the ſtrong eaſt wind, Exod. 14.21. a ſtrength added to its Natural fierceneſs, which made the meeting of the Floods more ſwift and fierce; ſome think thunders and lightnings burſt out of the pillar of fire in the Cloud, when God looked upon them, Exod. 14.24.

They ſank like Lead, ſuddenly, eaſily, irrecoverably; they were laſht before, now executed. Other Plagues had a mixture of patience, this is a pure cup of the Indignation of God.

The defeat is deſcribed,

1. By the Author: Thou didſt blow.

2. Inſtrument: Thy wind; the Sea, wind and the Sea conſpire together againſt the Enemies, when God orders them.

3. Victory, or ſucceſs of this order; The Sea covered them; they ſank like Lead in the mighty waters— General Obſervations.

1. The greateſt Idolaters are the fierceſt Enemies againſt the Church of God. Aegyptii Diis faecundi. H…eron.'Tis the Aegyptian is the Enemy. No Nation had more and more ſordid Idols. The Perſians adored the Sun, the greateſt Benefactor to the world, in the rank of inanimate creatures; other Nations ſeveral Stars, but none did ſo much abuſe the reaſon of man, as that accurſed Nation. Onions, Garlick, Cats, Oxen, Flies and Crocodiles; thoſe dung-hill creatures were their p. 44adored Deities. And how much better is the Adoration of the ſwadling-clouts of our Saviour, or the ſtraw which was in the Manger, or the Tail of the Aſs he rode upon, and ſo many ſplinters of the Croſs; which if put together would make a Coloſſus? For this among the reſt may the Church profeſſing ſuch Worſhip be called ſpiritual Aegypt.

2. The Churches Enemies are not for her correction, but her deſtruction: I will purſue; my hand ſhall deſtroy them. They breath out nothing but ſlaughters; My hand ſhall deſtroy them; down with it, down with it even to the ground, and men are famous as they can lift up Axes upon the thick Trees, Pſa. 74.5.

3. How deſperate are ſomtimes the ſtraits of Gods Iſrael in the eye of man? How low their Spirits before deliverance? They here behold a deep Sea before them, and a raging Enemy behind them: Hear a confuſed noiſe of women and Children in the midſt of them, feel the pantings of their own hearts, & perhaps ſee a conſternation in the faces of their governours; they ſee themſelves diſarmed of weapons, lying almoſt at the mercy of an oppreſſor, with a well furniſht Army; they repent of what God had done for them, and are more ambitious of ſlavery than liberty; Quarrel with Moſes (And as one of their Hiſtorians ſaith, were about to ſtone him) Exod. 14.10, 11, 12. Without doubt they then thought him a lyar, and it is likely had no more honourable thoughts at that time of God; for when they ſaw the happy ſucceſs in the miraculous overthrow of the Aegyptians, then they believed God and his ſervant Moſes, Exod. 14.31. as if they gave credit to neither of them before. They had a pillar of Fire, and a Cloud, the chariot of God; A greater argument to eſtabliſh them than the preparation of their enemies to terrifie them. But what a faithleſs creature is man under the viſible guard of Heaven, and ſo far naturally from living by faith, that he will hardly draw eſtabliſhments from ſenſe!

4. God orders the luſts of men for his own praiſe. He had forced Pharaoh to let the People go, he had ſtopt the ſtreams of his fury; when he removes his hand and pulls up the dam, Pharaoh returns to his former temper with more violence, thereby giving occaſion for God's glory in his own deſtruction; he ſerves himſelf of the deſperate malice of his enemies to make his Wiſdom and other Attributes more triumphant.

5. The nearer the deliverance of the Church is, the fiercer are Gods Judgments on the enemies of it, and the higher the enemies rage. The former plagues were but ſmall gaſhes in the Aegyptian ſtate: But when the time approach'd of the Iſraelites perfect Deliverance, then the firſt-born in every houſe, the delight and ſtrength of the parents is cut off: And at the compleating of it, the glory, flower and ſtrength of Aegypt buryed in the Sea; the fuller beams of mercy on the one are attended with more ſcorcing darts of judgments on the other.

6. All creatures are abſolutely under the Soveraignty of God, and are acted by his Power in all their ſervices. Thy wind: All are ſubject to his conduct, and are the Guardians of his People, and the Conquerours of his Enemies. How eaſie is it for the Arm of Omnipotency to demoliſh the ſtrongeſt preparations againſt his Iſrael, and with a blaſt reduce their Power to nothing? The Sea ſuffers violence to preſerve his People, and the liquid Element ſeems transform'd into a wall of Braſs. God can make the meaneſt creatures Miniſters of his Judgments, raiſe Troops of Flies to rout the Roman Army, as it was in Trajans Siege of the Agarens.

7. By the ſame means God ſaves his People, whereby he deſtroys his Enemies; the one ſank, the other paſt thorow; That which makes one balance ſink, makes the other riſe the higher; the red ſea was the Guardian of Iſrael, and the Executioner of Aegypt, the Iſraelites gallery to Canaan, and the Aegyptians grave. The cloud that led the Iſraelites through the red Sea, blinded the Aegyptians; the waters that were 15 Cubits high above the mountains, kept the Ark from daſhing againſt them, whereby Noah might be indangered, and drowned the enemies though never ſo high according to humane ſtature.

8. The ſtrength and glory of a people is more waſted by oppoſing the Intereſt of the Church, than in conflicts with any other enemy. Had the Aegyptian arms been turned againſt any other Enemy, they might have proſpered, or at leaſt retired with a more partial defeat, or ſaved their lives though under chains. But when they would prepare them againſt Gods Iſrael, they meet with a total defeat where they expected victory, and find their graves where Iſrael found their Bulwarks; the choiceſt of their Youth, the flower of their Nobility, the ſtrongeſt of their chariots and horſes at one blow overthrown by God.

9. We may take notice of the folly of the Churches Enemies. Former plagues might have warned them of the power of God; they had but burned their own fingers by pinching her; yet they would ſet their force againſt Almighty power that ſo often had worſted them; 'tis as if men would pull down a ſteeple with a ſtring.

But the Obſervations I ſhall treat of are,

1. When the Enemies of the Church are in the higheſt fury and reſolution, and the Church in the greateſt extremity and dejection, then is the fitteſt time for God to work her deliverance fully and perfectly. When the Enemy ſaid, I will purſue, I will overtake, I will divide the Spoil, &c. then God blowed with his wind, then they ſank.

2. God is the Author of all the deliverances of the Church, whoſoever are the Inſtruments. [Thou didſt blow with thy wind; who is like unto the Lord among the Gods?

1. For the firſt, When the Enemies of the Church are in the higheſt fury, &c. Great reſolutions p. 45againſt God meet with great Diſappointments. The Churches ſtraits are the enemies hopes, but Gods opportunity. When their fury is higheſt, Gods love is neareſt.

1. There are four ſeaſons on the part of the Enemy God takes hold of.

1. Flouriſhing Proſperity. Here is Pharaoh in the head of a gallant Army, the Iſraelites in a Pound at his mercy. The Aegyptians proſperity is a forerunner of their deſtruction, the adverſity of the other, of their ſalvation. Haman is in the top of his favour, when the Jews are marked out for ſlaughter, and then himſelf is marked out for ruine. Proſperity, like Rain, makes the weeds of Pride and Atheiſm to grow up, and then they are fit matter for God's Sickle to cut down. When the Cluſters of the Vine of the Earth are ripe, full of an outward glory and ſweetneſs, then the Angel thruſts in his ſharp Sickle, Rev. 14.18. There is an foreign ſet them. When the great City is clothed in fine Linnen, Purple and Scarlet, deckt with gold and pretious ſtones, Rev. 18.16. and come to the higheſt point of its glory and proſperity, then ſhall God thicken the clouds of his vengeance, and bring their riches to naught in one hour.

2. Swelling Pride: I will purſue, &c. Pride is provoking, becauſe it is a ſelf-deifying, and ſets up the creature as God's Mate. God ſtands upon his honour, and loves to attaque thoſe that would equal themſelves with him. Pride ſunk the glory of the fallen Angels into miſery, and ſo it will that of the Serpents ſeed; this is the immediate forerunner of deſtruction, Prov. 16.18. Men have their hairy ſcalp, the prime of their ſtrength, and pride of their hearts, when God wounds them, Pſal. 68.21. Aegypt was become Rahab, pride it ſelf, as the word ſignifies, and ſo God called it by that name, Iſa. 51.9. When Aegypt mounted to Rahab, to the top of pride, then God cut it. When the Dragon briſtled, and erected his ſtately head to ſeiſe upon the prey, then God wounded him, put an end to Aegypts pride, and the Iſraelites fear: He loves to beat down the pride of the one, and raiſe up the lowlineſs of the other. When Herod will aſſume the title of a God given him by the acclamations of the People, an Angel ſhall immediately make him a Banquet for Worms, Acts 11.22, 23. When Sennacherib had proſpered in his Conqueſt of Judea, had taken many ſtrong Towns, cloſely be leaguered Jeruſalem, thundred out blaſphemies againſt God, and threatnings againſt his People, then comes an Angel, makes an horrible ſlaughter in a night, ſends him back to his own Country, where after the loſs of his Army he loſt his life by the hands of his own children. A greater pride cannot be expreſt, than what the Apoſtle predicts of the Man of Sin, and that hath been extant for ſome time in the world**2 Theſ. 2.4, Who oppoſeth and exalteth himſelf above all that is called God, in additions to the word, clipping the Inſtitutions of God, and adding new, and canonizing new Mediators of Interceſſion, who ſits in the Temple of God in a profeſſion of Chriſtianity, ſhewing himſelf that he is God, aſſuming the name of God, and the title of God, in being called moſt holy.2 Thess 2:4: And perhaps it will yet amount to a higher ſtep than it hath yet done before he be conſumed by the brightneſs of the Lord's coming, ſince all that yet lets and hinders is not taken out of the way. The higher the pride, the nearer the fall. When Goliah ſhall defie the God of Iſrael, a ſtone from a ſling thrown by the hand of David, our great David, the Antitype, ſhall lay him vomiting out his ſoul, and blaſphemies on the Earth. We are many times more beholding to the Enemies inſolence, than our own innocence. Deut. 32.17. Were it not that God feared the wrath of the Enemy, i. e in their pride, leſt their Adverſaries ſhould behave themſelves ſtrangely, and ſay, Our hand is high; a ſinful Iſrael ſhould not have ſo many preſervations**Trap on Exod. p. 9.. When they will aſcend into Heaven, and exalt their Throne above the Stars of God; when they will aſcend above the heights of the Clouds, and be like the moſt High, then ſhall they be brought down to Hell, to the ſides of the Pit, Iſa. 7.13, 14, 15. The higheſt Towers are the faireſt marks for Thunder, and the readieſt Tinder for the lightning of Heaven. When Tyrus had ſet her heart, as the heart of God, then would God defile her brightneſs, and make her die the death of them that are ſlain in the midſt of the Sea, Ezek. 28.6, 7, 8.

3. Eager malice. Nothing would Satisfie the Aegyptians here, but the bloud of the Iſraelites. My hand ſhall deſtroy them; they were under a cruel bondage, attended with anguiſh, of Spirit before God began their reſcue. The ſerpents ſeed have the ſame principles of craft and malice ſown in their nature, that are reſident in his; ever ſince the beginning, he endeavoured to ſhape men into the ſame form and temper with himſelf; Their rage would raze out the very foundation of Iſrael, and not ſuffer the name to be had any more in remembrance, Pſa. 83.4. They love to be drunk with the blood of the ſaints, and are no more ſatisfied with blood than the grave with carcaſes; they repair their arrows, and watch for an opportunity to diſcharge them; and never want poiſon, but opportunity; this is Gods time to deliver. When Pharaoh would pollute the land with the blood of the Hebrew males, and ordain them to be drag'd from the womb to the ſlaughter, then God raiſes up himſelf to attempt the reſcue of Iſrael; yet he bears with his inſolence, puniſheth him, but not deſtroys him. But when he would be ſtill ſtiff againſt a ſenſe of the multitude of plagues and a greater mercy of patience in them; when he would arm for the field againſt that God the ſmart of whoſe force he had felt, and reſolves to deſtroy or bring back the Iſraelites upon the point of his Sword, God would then bear no longer, but make the water his ſepulchre. When Haman deſigns the ruine of the Jews, procures the Kings commiſſion, ſends diſpatches to all the governours of the Provinces, ſets up a gibbet for Mordecai, and wants nothing but an opportunity to requeſt the Execution, he tumbles down to exchange his princes favours for an exaltation on the Gallows, Eſt. 6.4. Eſt. 7.10. When the Serpent encreaſed his malitious cruelty, and caſt out a flood againſt the Church, God makes the earth, the carnal world to give her aſſiſtance, and repel the force that Satan uſed againſt her**Rev. 12.15, 16. The ear…h helped the woman.Rev 12:15Rev 12:16. p. 46When multitudes ſhall gather together in the valley of deciſion, then ſhall the Lord roar out of Sion, and be the hope of his People, and the ſtrength of the Children of Iſrael, Joel. 3.14.16. And when Spiritual Aegypt ſhall make a war againſt Chriſt, who ſits upon the white horſe, and combine all their force for the deſtruction of his people, then ſhall the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet be taken and brought to their final ruine, and their force be broken in a lake of fire, as that of Aegypt was in a Sea of water, Rev. 19.19, 20. The time of their greateſt fierceneſs ſhall be the time of Chriſts fury; he will ſtrike them ſoreſt when he finds them cruelleſt, their rage ſhall rouze up his revenge; when the men of Sodom, to which the Antichriſtian ſtate is likened, ſhall be reſolutely bent to wickedneſs, they ſhall be ſtruck with blindneſs, and that blindneſs ſuceeded by deſtruction; then will God ſet bounds to the outragious waves, and ſnatch the prey out of the teeth of the Lyons.

4. Confident ſecurity. I will divide the Spoil, my luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them. God lets the enemy come in like a floud and torrent, with a confidence to carry all before him, before he lifts up a ſtandard againſt him, Iſa. 59.19. Then ſhall the Spirit of the Lord ſtir up himſelf gloriouſly in the principles and actions of his people, and the redeemer ſhall come to Sion. God will ſet his force againſt their confidence, & break their impetuouſneſs by his own power. When the Enemies of the Church think they have intangled it in ſuch a ſnare, reduc'd it to ſo low a condition as to be ſecure of her ruine with a blaſt, and puff, then God will ariſe and ſet her in ſafety from them that puff at her, Pſa. 12.5. This will be the caſe of Babylon; when ſhe ſhall ſay, I ſit as a Queen, and am no Widdow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow, then ſhall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, for then God will ſtir up his ſtrength to Judge her, Rev. 18.7. 'Tis in the time of the Antichriſtian Polity, and mutual congratulations with the higheſt ſecurity for their happy ſucceſs, triumphing over the dead bodies of the witneſſes, that they ſhall ſtand again upon their feet, (the ſame perſons if politically dead, others witneſſing the ſame doctrine, if they were corporeally dead) and damp all their mirth and triumph, and turn their ſecurity into fears; then ſhall glory be given to the God of heaven, and the Ark of his Teſtament be ſeen in his Temple, and the power of the Lord be magnified, Rev. 11.10, 11. When they ſhall all be gathered together to the battle of the great day of the Lord; the place is called Armageddon, Rev. 16.14, 16, &c. foreign & foreign A curſed troop an army under Gods Anathema, when they have the greateſt confidence. When Jeruſalem ſhall be penn'd up by a ſeige, it ſhall be a cup of trembling in the hands of her Enemies, Zac. 12.2. Fear ſhall ſeize upon them in the midſt of their confidence. The Sun was riſen upon Sodom juſt before the devouring ſhower of Fire and brimſtone. With what deriſion would they have entertained any meſſenger, that ſhould have aſſured them of ſuch a ſhower in ſo clear a day? No doubt but the Aegyptian horſes went prancing into the Sea, and their riders confident of catching their prey; when they ſaw the waters congealed, they had not the leaſt ſuſpicion, but that the diviſion of the Sea was made in their favour, till the Chariot wheels were taken off, and the waters ready to roul upon them, Exod. 14.23, 25.

2. As ſomething on the part of the Churches Enemies forwards the deliverance, ſo there is ſome regard God hath to the Churches ſtraits. Cum duplicantur lateres, venit Moſes. 'Tis Gods uſual method to let the Church be in great diſtreſs before he commands deliverance. The diſtreſs of the Church was great in the concern of this day, though it was not ſenſible, the deliverance being known near as ſoon as the danger.

The Church is to be in the depths of the Sea before ſhe be fully delivered, Pſa. 68.22. The Jews were to paſs through the Sea with affliction before the pride of Aſſyria ſhould be brought down, and the Scepter of Aegypt depart away; after that, he would ſtrengthen them in the Lord, and they ſhould walk up and down in his name, Zach. 10.11, 12. The ſharpeſt pangs precede deliverance; it was ſo when Chriſt came in the fleſh; it will be ſo at every new riſing of Chriſt in his ſpirit; when things were at a low ebb, when the Sun ſat in the greateſt darkneſs of Errour, Idolatry and prophaneſs, when the Jews, the only ſpot of ground God had, was as a wilderneſs almoſt barren of any grace, when the great predictions of the Prophets were unminded, and leſs underſtood, when Ʋrim and Thummim had ceaſed, and the Spirit of Propheſy was ſhut up, then Chriſt comes in the fulneſs of time to work an univerſal relief for mankind. When the day of vengeance is in the heart of the Redeemer, he ſhall look and find none to help, he ſhall wonder to find none to uphold, therefore his own arm ſhall bring Salvation, Iſa. 53.5.

This has alwaies been God's Method. With his Son, the powers of darkneſs had their hour, and triumph'd when they had laid him in the grave before he was raiſed by the glory of his Father. The Witneſſes muſt be killed by the hand of their Enemies, before they ſtand upon their feet, and aſcend up into Heaven, in the ſight of their Adverſaries, Rev. 11.7. when the Church ſhall walk in darkneſs, grope for the wall like the blind, mourn like Doves, look for ſalvation, and it ſhall ſeem far off; then will the Lord put on a helmet of ſalvation on his head, and the garments of vengeance for clothing, and be clad with zeal as a cloak, Iſa. 59.9, 10, 11, 17. The break of day is uſhered in by a thicker darkneſs than that which clouded the night before. The ſharpeſt perſecution that ever the Church had, was in the time of Diocleſian, a little before Chriſtianity was to rule his Empire in the exaltation of Conſtantine. Abraham was in hardſhip out of his Country, when he received the promiſes of the Meſſiah; and Iſrael in the wilderneſs, when the Oracles of God were delivered to p. 47them. Confuſion of the Church precedes alwaies the Communication of Light.

1. The Reaſons of the Doctrine are theſe.

1. This makes for God's glory. The creature cannot in this condition challenge any ſhare in the honour of the deliverance, or pare off ſo much as a ſplinter of his glory. Had the Iſraelites been armed, and drawn into a ſtrong Battalion, and ſo defeated the Aegyptian Army, the Victory would rather have been challeng'd by them, than aſcrib'd to God; but neither the ſtrength of their multitude, nor the wiſdom of their Guides, were able to protect them; counſel failed, and heads were feeble; then did God get himſelf a name, when they were upon the point of a remedileſs ruine. It was manifeſt the name of the Lord got David the Victory, ſince he encountred unarmed with Goliah, who could have cruſht him like a Fly had he been in his fingers.

The time of the Churches depreſſion, is the time of God's Exaltation; he waits for the extremity to lift up himſelf. When paleneſs is upon the face of his People; when the Cedars of Lebanon hang their heads; when the Churches beauty ſeems a lamentable deformity, and Sharon is like a wilderneſs, then will God ariſe, Iſa. 33.9, 10. God never builds up Sion, but he ordains all things in a method for his appearance in the greateſt glory, Pſal. 102.16. When the Lord ſhall build up Sion, he ſhall appear in his glory, that is, when the Church is deſtitute, v. 17.

1. God exalts his power; his right hand then becomes glorious in power, Exod. 15.6. He loves to appear in his dreſs as a Creator, when there is no fitneſs in the ſubject to anſwer his end, but what he beſtows upon it. When Jeruſalem becomes a rejoycing, and her People a joy, 'tis an act of creating power, Iſa. 65.18. For behold I create Jeruſalem a rejoycing. When the creature can give them not the leaſt aſſiſtance, then will they be ſenſible of God's unbounded ſufficiency, and their own neceſſary dependance. God never had too little help from his creature in a deliverance; he hath ſometimes complain'd of too much, and disbanded ſome of the Churches Forces, as in the caſe of Gideon, Judg. 7. As Chriſt rules in the midſt of his Enemies, ſo doth God's Power moſt viſibly in the midſt of diſtreſſes. A Phyſician's skill is moſt conſpicuous when the diſeaſe is moſt dangerous, and moſt complicated, and Nature at the loweſt ebb. 'Tis more glory to God to quench the fire in its fulleſt rage, than to extinguiſh it in its firſt ſmoke and ſparkles. God loves the faireſt mark to ſhoot at, and will rather down with Goliah, than with the ordinary Philiſtines; grapple with the great, rather than with a light danger, that the Lord may appear to be a man of war, Exod. 15.3. As God ſhews his mercy in his Peoples Redemption, he will ſhew his ſtrength in their conduct, Exod. 15.13. He that made this deliverance a ſtanding Monument of his Power, entitles himſelf by it, Iſa. 43.16. Thus ſaith the Lord, which makes a way in the Sea, a path in the mighty waters.

2. His kindneſs to, and care of his People. When the ſtraits are remedileſs, and the counſels whereby the Projects are laid, not to be defeated by humane skill; when God ſeems to have forgot, then in a ſeaſonable deliverance he ſhews himſelf the careful Watchman of Iſrael. When the Ship is in a raging ſtorm, and Chriſt aſleep, he will leave his own eaſe to keep his word, and content his People. When the Church thinks God hath forgotten his mercies, and they have forgotten their dependance; when the miſery is ſo preſſing, that there is no faith of a deliverance left, then Chriſt comes, when faith is ſcarcely to be found upon the Earth, Luke 18.8. to exalt his mercy in the depths of their miſery, and work terrible things they looked not for, Iſa. 64.3. The Iſraelites would not have underſtood God's care in their protection, without this or the like ſtrait. God had a new opportunity to ſhew his watchfulneſs over them, to turn the cloud which went before them as their guide, behind them for their defence, Exod. 14.19. The ſcoffs of the Enemy at the Churches miſery, are God's motive to help her. I will reſtore health to thee, becauſe they called thee an out-caſt, Jer. 30.17. 'Tis in ſtraits we ſee God's ſalvation, not man's, Exod. 14.13. Stand ſtill, and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord.

3. His Juſtice. He lets the Church be encompaſſed with miſeries, and the Enemies in a Combination againſt her, that he may overthrow them at once. God makes a quicker diſpatch with the Aegyptians, when they were united, than when they had aſſaulted Iſrael with a ſmaller body: His Righteouſneſs gets glory at one blow, when he makes them to lye down together, Iſ. 43.17. His Juſtice is unblemiſht in ſtriking when their wickedneſs is viſibly ripe; the equity of it muſt needs be ſubſcribed, that when the Enemies malice is greateſt, when they have no mixture of compaſſion, 'tis the cleareſt righteouſneſs to cruſh them without any mixture of mercy, God brings things to that paſs, that he may honour both his Juſtice and Mercy in the higheſt. That the black horſes, and the white horſes may march firm together, Zech. 6.6. the black horſes that brought death and Judgment Northward to Babylon, where the Church was captive; the white horſes that followed them, and brought deliverance to his People; the one to be Inſtruments of his Judgments, the other of his Mercies. God loves to glorifie thoſe two Attributes together; he did ſo in the redemption of mankind by the death of his Son, and he doth ſo in the deliverance of his Church; there is a conformity of the Church to Chriſt, in her diſtreſs, that there may be a conformity of God's glory in temporal, to his glory in eternal Salvation. God ſingles out a full crop to be an harveſt for both. A wicked man is ſaid to be waited for by the ſword, Job 15.22. God attends the beſt ſeaſon for revenge; when mercy to the one ſhall appear moſt glorious, and vengeance on his Enemies moſt equitable and all diſputes againſt his proceedings be ſilenced.

p. 482. It makes to the Churches Advantage. God had a work to do upon Mount Sion and on Jeruſalem, before he would puniſh the ſtout heart of the King of Aſſyria, and the glory of his high looks, Iſa. 10.12. His end ſhall be attained in the correction of his Church, before his glory ſhall be exalted in the deſtruction of her Enemies. There are Enemies in the hearts of his People to be conquered by his grace, before the Enemies to her peace and proſperity ſhall be defeated by his Power; he will let them be in the fire, till, like gold, they may have a purer honour in a brighter luſtre.

1. Humiliation is gain'd hereby. God would not preſently raze out the Canaanites, leſt the wild Beaſts ſhould increaſe upon them, Deut. 7.22. Too quick deliverances may be occaſions to multiply the wild Beaſts of pride, ſecurity and wantonneſs in the heart; humility would have but little footing. There is need of a ſharp Winter to deſtroy the Vermin, before we can expect a fruitful Spring. Without humiliation the Church knows not how to receive, nor how to improve any mercy. The Enemies haſten their own mine, by increaſing the meaſure of their ſins; and Iſraels deliverance, by being inſtruments to humble then hearts. The ſooner the plaiſter hath drawn out the corrupt matter, the ſooner it is caſt into the fire. God hereby prevents the growth of weeds in that ground he intends to enrich with new mercies.

2. A Spirit of Prayer is excited. Slight troubles make but drooping prayers. Great ſtraits make it guſh out, as the more the bladder is ſqueezed, the higher the water ſprings. We hear not of the Iſraelites crying to the Lord after their coming out of Aegypt, till they had a ſight of the formidable Army, Exod. 14.10. They were ſore afraid, and the Children of Iſrael cried unto the Lord. Prayer gains mercies, but ſcarce ſprings up free without ſence of diſtreſs: We then have recourſe to Gods power whereby he is able to relieve us, when we are ſenſible of our own weakneſs, whereby we are unable to relieve our ſelves; men will ſcarce ſeek to God, or truſt him, while any creature, though but a reed, remains for their ſupport; they are deſtitute before they pray, or believe God regards their prayers, Pſa. 102.17. He will regard the prayer of the Deſtitute, and not deſpiſe their prayer. Diſtreſs cauſes importunity, and God will do much for importunities ſake, Luke. 11.8.

3. Diſcovery of ſincerity. Hereby God diſcovers who are his people, and who are not; who are in the higheſt form of Chriſtianity, and who are not in the School, or at leaſt but in the loweſt form; he ſeparates the good corn from the uſeleſs chaff. No queſtion but there were ſome among the Iſraelites, that in this extremity, acted faith upon the remembrance of the wonders God had wrought for them in Aegypt before their departure; certainly they did not all murmur againſt Moſes; Were there no Calebs and Joſhuahs, that followed God fully in a way of faith and ſubmiſſion? Their faith & courage had not been conſpicuous without this extremity. Thundrings and Lightnings, and terrible things in righteouſneſs are to prove us, whether the fear of God be before our faces that we ſin not, Exod. 20.18, 20. God ſeparates the droſs. You never know a new building without pulling down, to ſeparate the rubbiſh, and rotten rafters from the ſound materials. Abraham was put upon hard work, the imbruing his hands in the blood of his only Son, to prove his integrity; when God ſees his ſincerity, he divers the blow; not only delivers him from his grief, his Son from his danger, but renews the promiſe of the Meſſiah to him as a reward. Deliverance then comes when God hath ſeparated the Corn from the ſtubble.

4. A ſtanding encouragement for future faith. When the ſtraits are greateſt from whence God delivers us, there is a ſtronger foundation for a future truſt. When the diſtreſs is inconſiderable, faith afterwards will be more feeble; large experience heartens & ſtrengthens faith in the promiſe. When gloomy clouds are blown over, the brighter and thinner will not be much feared. When we ſee the Sun melt the thickeſt over our heads, we ſhall not doubt its force to diſolve the leſſer vapours which may afterwards aſſemble; when the Ship hath eſcaped a raging ſtorm, we ſhall not doubt it in a leſs. God often puts them in mind of their deliverance in the red Sea, to ſtrengthen their faith, and dependance on him. It muſt needs be an eſtabliſhment to faith; for deliverances from great ſtraits are ſome kind of obligation on the honour of God. When the Iſraelites had provoked God by murmuring, and wiſhed they had dyed in Aegypt, and not in the wilderneſs, Moſes intercedes with this argument, The Aegyptians ſhall hear of it, from whom God brought up Iſrael with a ſtrong hand, and it would diſparage Gods power, and tax him with an inability to bring his people into the Land he intended; then God grants their pardon, Numb. 14.13, 14, 20.

5. Engagement to future Obedience. 'Tis upon this account God prefaceth the Law with his mercy in delivering them out of Aegypt. The ſtrongeſt Vows are made in the greateſt ſtraits. Many obligations there are when the extremity forces us to cry. When we are in the Jaws of Death, God may have his terms of us; when we are at ſome diſtance, we will have our own. The lower a perſon is, the more readily will he bend to any condition; hope of deliverance will make him ſtoop. And when God ſnatches his People as fire-brands out of the fire, they are more obliged to him from common ingenuity, and muſt be more aſhamed of breaking their Vows, than if their mercies were of a great alloy. If common patience leads to repentance, a reſcue from an amazing danger is a ſtronger cord to draw us to repentance and obedience. And it is certain, that when the Church in ſincerity p. 49makes Vows to God, it will not be long before God puts her into a condition to pay them; and furniſh her with Incentives of a holy ingenuity.

6. The greater thankfulneſs. The more ſtraitned, the greater thankfulneſs for enlargement. As we hear not of the Iſraelites prayers after they came out of Aegypt till they were in the pound, ſo we read of none of their ſongs, though they had matter enough for them, in their firſt departure, till God had daſht in pieces the Enemy, and thrown the Horſe and the Rider into the Sea. Then, and not till then, had they a deep ſenſe, how glorious God was in holineſs, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders, Exod. 15.11. Great mercies unvail God's face more to the view of his People. When Iſrael inherits great ſalvation, then the Lord ſhall inherit the praiſe of Iſrael. When we have leſs mercies, we take little notice of the Author; God hears the language of but one of our bones; but when he delivers the poor from him that is too ſtrong for him, and ſpoils him, then all my bones ſhall ſay, Lord, who is like unto thee?

7. To prevent future miſchief to the Church. The deſtruction of the greateſt Enemies is a diſarming the leſs. God by this deſtruction ſtruck a terrour into thoſe Nations upon whoſe confines Iſrael was to march into Canaan, who without ſo remarkable a rebuke of providence, would have been deſirous to finger ſome of their prey. Then trembling took hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the Inhabitants of Canaan did melt away; fear and dread fell upon them by the greatneſs of the Arm of God, that they ſhould be as ſtill as a ſtone, till they paſſed over the River, Exod. 15.15, 16. Their preſent deliverance was a Paſs-port for their future ſecurity in their Journey; and no Enemies troubled them in the way, but thoſe upon whom God had a mind to ſhew his Power.

2. How doth God deliver when the ſeaſon is thus?

1. Suddenly. They ſank like Lead in the mighty waters, which quickly reaches the bottom. Judgment comes like lightning. Death and Hell are ſaid to ride upon Horſes, Rev. 6.8. They are too ſwift for God's Enemies, and will eaſily win the Race of them. Deſtruction comes, as travel upon a woman with child, 1 Theſ. 5.3. How ſuddenly did God turn the Aſſyrian Camp into an Aceldema, overthrow a powerful Army, and make their Tents their Tombs in the ſpace of a night? He will daſh them in pieces like a Potters Veſſel, Pſa. 2.9. all in bits at a ſtroke: He comes ſuddenly; he rides upon a Cherub, Pſal. 18.10. But becauſe the motion of an Angel is not ſo intelligible, he adds another Metaphor from the nimbleſt of ſenſible things; he flies upon the wings of the wind, to aſſiſt his People in extremity. The Enemy comes like a whirlwind **They came out as a whirlwind to ſcatter me, Hab. 3.14.Hab 3:14, and God goes forth as a whirlwind of fury, Jer. 30.23. The whirlwind of his Judgments ſhall be as quick as the whirlwind of their malice; a continual whirlwind, when the other is vaniſhing; it ſhall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked, when the other ſhall be as fruitleſs as a Snow-ball againſt a wall of Braſs. The Enemy beholds him not till he be upon him; for the clouds are as duſt under his feet, Nahum 1.3. and obſcure his appearance, as the raiſing the Duſt doth the march of a Troop; he comes unawares upon them in a Cloud. The Execution is ſudden; They ſhall be cut down as graſs, Pſal. 37.2. which this moment faceth the Sun, triumphing in its natural bravery, and the next moment is cut off from its Root with one ſhave of a Sythe. He quencheth them as Tow is quencht in Water, Iſa. 43.17. as the ſnuff of a Candle is quench'd by being bruis'd by the fingers. He cuts them off as foam, the excrement of the water, Hoſ. 10.7. which burſts in pieces like a bubble, on the ſudden. Vengeance comes upon Tyre and Sidon ſwiftly and ſpeedily, Joel 3.4. Tyre comes of foreign, which ſignifies to afflict, to ſtraiten. Sidon of foreign, the word ſignifies to purſue. All Perſecutors are threatned in Tyre and Sidon with a ſwift deſtruction. God delays the time to try the faith and patience of his People, to make the expected deliverance more ſweet and welcom, and mercy more ſingular. He may have ſome of the ſeed of Chriſt in the loins of ſome of his Enemies. But when he doth draw his Sword, he gives a ſudden blow before the Enemy fears it, or his People expect it. The Jews in Babylon, when the Chains of their Captivity were unlooſed, were like thoſe that dream, they could ſcarce believe they were freed, when the Enemy felt himſelf puniſh'd. In all other Plagues God ſent Moſes as an Herauld, with warning to Pharaoh; but in this God ſurpriſed him, and hurried him to deſtruction, without giving him any caution; Like chaff that the Tempeſt carrieth away, and is ſeen no more, Job 21.18. So ſhall the Plagues of ſpiritual Aegypt come in one day, Rev. 18.8. yea, in one hour, v. 17. And the Church ſhall be like a Lilly, which by the aſſiſtance of the Dew, flouriſheth in the morning, when over night it looked as if it were withered.

2. Magnificently. Sometimes in deliverance God puts the frame of nature in confuſion, He melts the mountains, cleaves the vallies, as wax before the fire and as waters poured down a ſteep place, Mic. 1.4. i. e. He waſts the ſtrength and riches of his enemies when he comes to judge. When he appears in the generation of the righteous, he ſhall appear in ſuch glory, as to make the adverſaries in great fear, and ſtrike a terrour into them, Pſal. 14.5. God will perform it in a prodigious and unuſual way. God might have taken off the wheels of the Aegyptian Chariots before they had entred the gap of the Sea, and hindred them from approaching ſo near his beloved people; he might have afflicted their hands with the palſy, and rendred them uncapable to manage their weapons; or might have ſent a ſpirit of aemulation among them and made them ſheath their ſwords in one anothers bowels. But though this had ſecured his people, it would not have rendred his operation ſo illuſtrious, as the making p. 50that which was a means of his peoples ſecurity, to be his Enemies deſtruction, and the waters at once Indulgent to the Iſraelites, and ſevere to the Aegyptians. He magnifies his Judgments and mercies by one and the ſame ſtroak, and drowns the Enemies, in the Sea, whereby he delivers the Iſraelites. So he preſerved Daniel in the midſt of thoſe Lions which devoured his accuſers. The more contrary things are to an eye of reaſon, the fitter ſubjects they are for the exaltation of God. As Chriſt the head, ſo the Church the body is raiſed out of the grave by the glory of God the Father, Rom. 6.4. His right hand ſhall find his enemies, Pſal. 21.8. his right hand ſhall teach him terrible things, Pſa. 45.4. Then ſhall he come with a ſhout, as one refreſhed with wine, recruited with new Spirits, and riſen from ſleep, Pſa. 78.65. He calls upon all creatures to be aſſiſtant to Cyrus in the deſign of his peoples deliverance, Iſa. 45.8. He will perfect it by a way of creation. (I have created righteouſneſs to deliverance) with the manifeſtation of a creative power, & he makes things ſerve againſt their natural order appointed by God. Thus, when God ſhall appear for the final overthrow of ſpiritual Aegypt, he ſhall come with Voices, Thunders and Lightnings, an earthquake out of the temple, and appear as magnificently in the garb of a Judge, as he did on Sinai in that of a Law-giver, Rev. 16.19. and make the Ten horns, which were the ſupport of the beaſt, to be the Inſtruments of her deſolation, Rev. 17.16.

3. Severely. They ſank to the bottom like lead in the mighty waters. God ſends out the greateſt Judgments againſt thoſe that deal ſharply with his people greater than againſt any other part of the world, Zac. 6.6. The black horſes, the inſtrument of the execution of his Anger, were ſent towards Babylon, where his people were in Captivity; but the bay horſes of a mixt colour, noting a mixture of Mercy and Judgments, are ſent towards other parts of the world, to walk, not to run, ſignifying the patience of God to thoſe parts which had not yet oppreſt his people; God deals not ſo ſmartly with thoſe, as with them that are Enemies to Iſrael. In ſuch concerns he anſwers his people by terrible things in righteouſneſs: When he appears as a God of Salvation to his people, he appears terrible in his righteouſneſs to his Enemies, Pſa. 65.5. By terrible things in righteouſneſs wilt thou anſwer us, O God of our Salvation. His Judgments ſhall be as terrible as they are righteous. The executioners of his vengeance ride upon horſes, to ſhew their readineſs to any warlike ingagement; upon red horſes of a bloody colour, to ſhew the ſeverity of their commiſſion againſt the Enemies of God, Zac. 1.8. He will pay all arrears together, that they ſhall be forced to ſay, God is true to the word of his threatning, as well as that of his promiſe, As the Amalekites in Samuel's time payed the ſcores of their Anceſtors in the time of the Iſraelites travel through the wilderneſs, 1 Sam. 15.2. I remember that which Amalek did to Iſrael, how he laid wait for him in the way when they came up from Aegypt. So when God reckons with Babylon for all the bloud of the Saints & Prophets, Rev. 18.20. The bloud of all the Prophets and Saints that were ſlain upon the earth, ſhall be found upon her skirts and avenged on her; and gives unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceneſs of his wrath, all that ſhe hath done ſhall come into his remembrance, Rev. 16.19. And how ſevere it ſhall be is expreſt, Rev. 14.19, 20. ſhe ſhall be caſt into the great wine-preſs of the wrath of God, as grapes bruiſed with the greateſt ſtrength, and cruſhed in pieces both skin & ſtones. And to expreſs it more ſenſibly to our underſtandings, he ſpeaks of the flowing of the bloud out of the wine-preſs unto the horſe bridles, by the ſpace of a 1000 and 600 furlongs, two hundred miles; not that we ſhould underſtand it literally, but the Spirit of God is ſo particular in deſcribing the height of the deluge of bloud to the bridles of the horſes, the length of the floud to the ſpace of two hundred Miles, to ſet before our apprehenſion the ſeverity of the wrath that ſhall be poured out upon them. And as God never repented of his Judgments upon Aegypt, ſo never will he of thoſe which are to come upon Babylon.

4. Ʋniverſally; and therefore ſeverely. The horſe and the rider did God caſt into the Sea; the Chariots, the Hoſt, and the choſen Captains were drowned there, Exod. 15.1, 4. The waters covered the Enemy, there was not one of them left, Pſa. 60.11. Exod. 14.28. Not a meſſenger to carry back the news; their floating bodies and wracks were the firſt that gave notice of the defeat to their remaining countrymen. God throws off all tenderneſs, his bowels are ſilent, he ſtrikes like a wrathful Enemy, lanceth not like a tender Chyrurgion; ſo ſhall it be with their partners in their ſins, every man that worſhips the Beaſt and his Image ſhall drink of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his Indignation, and whoever receiveth the mark of his name, Rev. 14.9, 10, 11. The Sun, the political power that defends it, ſhall be darkened; the rivers, whereby their traffick and riches come in to them, ſhall be dried up; all that have any dependance on them, recourſe to them, ſtand in the defence of the power of Aegypt, ſhall fall under the indignation of God.

5. Totally; Irrecoverably. They ſank as lead. God will make an utter end, Affliction ſhall not riſe up a 2d time, Nahum 1.9, 10, He overtakes them when they are drunk in the height of their pleaſure, while they are making their confederacies againſt the Church, while they are ſolden together like thorns, they ſhall be devoured like ſtubble fully dry. foreign, Luke 18.7. He will avenge his own, he will avenge them ſpeedily; he will act ſo as if wrath were his only and proper work, he will do it to purpoſe, and perfectly: The Aegyptian carcaſſes lay as Trophies of the victory, Exod. 14.30. Their former plagues had ſomething of patience; Puniſhment was inflicted, but life preſerved; Judgments p. 51ſent, but upon promiſe of reformation quite removed: Now Patience folds her hands, and ſtands Spectator, while Juſtice opens hers, and becomes a ſole actor; mercy runs on the ſide of Iſrael, and wrath marcheth without any Impediment againſt the Aegyptians. As they like lead, ſo irrecoverably ſhall Babylon fall like a milſtone, in the depths of the Sea, and ſhall be found no more at all; all her mirth and jollity ſhall for ever ceaſe, Rev. 18.21, 22, 23. When things fall to the bottom of the Sea, they are entombed there for ever, no skill can reſtore them to their former ſtation; when judgment turneth the key, and locks them in, there is no more opening the door.

6. And all this juſtly. Pharaoh had commanded that the Hebrew Male-children ſhould be expoſed to the mercy of the River, to find their death in the water as ſoon as they had breathed in the Air, Exod. 1.22. And God makes them periſh in that Element, to which they had adjudged the harmleſs Infants. Now God pays the Law-maker, and his Counſellers with the ſame Coin, and makes the Malefactors food for the Inhabitants of the deep, who had before fed the Crocodiles with the blood of the Innocent. God ſhall reward Babylon as ſhe hath rewarded his people, and double unto her the cup ſhe hath filled for others, Rev 18.6. Upon this account ſhall praiſe be given to God, that he hath given them bloud to drink, who have ſhed the blood of his Saints and Prophets, Rev. 16.6. Thou art righteous O Lord, becauſe thou haſt judged thus. As ſhe hath kindled fires to conſume the witneſſes of Chriſt, ſo God ſhall kindle a fire to conſume her, Rev. 17.16. She ſhall be utterly burnt with fire, Rev. 18.8. Some think Rome will at length be conſumed with fire from Heaven; ſhe is indeed Spiritual Sodom, Rev. 11.8. And as ſhe anſwers it in carnal and Spiritual ſins, ſhe may partake of the ſame viſible and Spiritual Judgments: Whether the puniſhment will be the ſame for kind I know not, but certainly it will be ſuch a kind of puniſhment whereby the judgments of God ſhall be read both in proportion, and kind of it, as a retaliation for her ſins; and the Scripture ſpeaks of fire coming down from God out of heaven upon the laſt Enemies of the Church, that ſhall Afflict the beloved City, alluding to the fire upon Sodom, and that which deſcended upon the Perſecutors of Elijah, Rev. 20.9.

7. Wiſely. He cuts off the Spirits of princes, as he took off the Wheels of the Aegyptian Chariots, Pſa. 76.12. Either by infatuating their Counſels, or turning them as the rivers of waters into other Channels. He ſtript the Aegyptians, Firſt of their wealth, and now Spoyls them of their ſtrength; he kept a bridle upon the waters, till the Enemies were got into the midſt of them, and then commands the Sea to ſwallow them up in the depths of her bowels. When men lay their Counſels deep, ſecond them by an invincible ſtrength, have almoſt brought them to their imagin'd period ready to bring forth, God diſappoints their hopes baffles their Counſels, renders their projects frothy, raiſeth a ſtorm and blows the ſhip from its harbour, contrary to its intended courſe, and glorifies his wiſdom, by overthrowing their deſigns, when they have brought them to a birth. He watches upon the evil to divert it from the innocent object upon the malicious actor. As God watches for the fitteſt ſeaſon to bring evil upon his people, Dan. 9.14. he will be as diligent to watch for the fitteſt opportunity to bring Judgment on his Enemies. God hath promiſed vengeance, but he hath reſerved the knowledg of the due time to himſelf, when he will make their foot to ſlide, Deut. 32.35. Every mercy is then moſt ſeaſonable. Uſually God lets men bring the ball almoſt to the goal, and then kicks it from them, and them from it: And the wiſdom of God hath been, and will be glorious in the overthrow of the remaining Enemies of the Church, in making them which were horns to defend the Beaſt, to be carpenters to ruine him, Rev. 17.16.

Ʋſe 1. Of Comfort. How dear is the Church to God! When God was engaged in the deliverance of his people, he ſinks the ſtrength of Aegypt, rather than one hair of the Iſraelites heads ſhould periſh; they went ſafe over, while no man or horſe of the Enemies eſcap't. God gave Aegypt for Iſraels ranſom, Iſa. 43.3. And the Sea ſhould have drowned the whole Land, rather than the Enemies have hurt his People. So did the contrivers of the Powder-Plot come to deſtruction, when not one hair of a head was loſt, or one ſplinter of the place they intended was ſhav'd off, by the prepared Gunpowder. God ſits in Heaven, and laughs at the little petty Deſigns of men, Pſal. 2.4. God that is infinite to countermine them, infinitely powerful to defeat them, hath them in deriſion. Chriſt in glory mocks at the folly of earth-worms. The Decree of God, which ſettles Chriſt a King, aſſures him a Kingdom, and ſecures his People as it did his Perſon, Pſal. 2.7. God is a Sun and a Shield; Pſal. 84.11. a Shield to defend them, and a Sun to extinguiſh the fire of the Enemies fury, by ſhining upon it. God values no Nation for the ſecurity of his People. The Babylonians, a warlike Nation, ſhall ſink under the Army of Cyrus, for the Reſtauration of the captive Jews, Iſa. 43.4. I will give men for thee, and people for thy life. He had given Aegypt for their Ranſom before, and Aethiopia and Seba, in the time of Aſa; and ſtill in after Ages God was of the ſame mind. God is as gracious to his People, as terrible to his Enemies: He is light to the one, when he is fire to the ſouls and bodies of the other, Iſa. 10.17. Chriſt ſtill ſits the Watchman of Ephraim with God, Hoſ. 9.8. He inſpects his Church, and waits to bring the day of Viſitation upon his Enemies. The Covenant is of ſpecial force with God to move him to deliver his People, Iſa. 63.8. He ſaid, Surely they are my People, ſo he was their Saviour. It ſeems to refer to the deliverance from Aegypt. Shall I have ſo little regard to the League I have entred into with their Fathers, as to be unconcern'd in their miſery? p. 52There is hope in Iſrael, till God forgets his Covenant, and Chriſt ſtrip himſelf of the name of a Saviour. Chriſt hath his Prieſtly habit in Heaven for his People, but Eyes as flames of fire, quick and piercing, to conſume the very hearts of his Enemies; and Feet like fine Braſs, to trample upon them, Rev. 1.13, 14, 15. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, to tear his Enemies, as well as a Lamb ſlain, to expiate the ſins of his People. He hath meekneſs for his Friends, and terrible Majeſty for his Enemies, Pſal. 45.4. In thy Majeſty ride proſperouſly, becauſe of meekneſs. His kindneſs to his People makes him ride in Majeſty againſt the others. God will not be at reſt till he hath revenged the Cauſe of his People. Aegypt will be drowned, Babylon will fall, Rev. 18.2. Chriſt can have no ſatisfaction without it. The Executioners of his Judgments in the North Country, which was Babylon, lying Northward from Jeruſalem, do quiet his Spirit; both as tending to the glory of his Juſtice, and the manifeſtation of his Mercy to his People, Zach. 6.3. Chriſt will ſtain his garments in the blood of Edom, and Bozra, Iſa. 63.2, 3. Edom the Poſterity of Eſau, Bozra a City of Moab, Types of the Churches Enemies. The Jewiſh Doctors by Edom in the Prophets underſtand Rome. Chriſt ſits in Heaven, till his Enemies be made his footſtool. All the time of his ſitting God is acting and preparing things for a final Iſſue. There is a ſtrong cry of Blood, and a file of Prayers; the one will be revenged, and the other will be anſwer'd. Their own pride and cruelty witneſs againſt them. God hath a noiſe of Petitions every day for a full end; a combin'd importunity will prevail. But clouds now hang over us, a gloomy ſtorm ſeems to threaten us. God may indeed blow over the cloud. Our Saviour hath the command of the ſtorms and winds in Heaven, as well as he had upon the Earth; the Pillar of the cloud, which hath hitherto conducted us, may be our Guardian in the Rear to defend us. But yet if he doth ſuffer them to prevail, they ſhall be but as Whisks to bruſh off the duſt, wiſps of Straw to cleanſe the filthy Pot. You know what is to be done with them, when their work is done. Their Language indeed is, Let Sion be defiled; but they underſtand not the counſel of the Lord, who in time will make the Horn of Sion Iron, and her Hoofs Braſs, Micah 4.11. Though the Beaſts that aſcend out of the bottomleſs Pit do kill God's People, Rev. 11.7. yet even in this Victory of theirs Satan himſelf ſhall be overcome. As when Chriſt was taken out from among the living by Satans means, it was but for a time; but himſelf was caſt out for ever; ſo after this Victory the Church ſhall overcome, Rev. 11. and God ſhall break the head of the Leviathan in the waters; and when he doth by his wiſdom contrive waies of ſalvation, he will by his power execute them, and ſave in ſuch a way as may moſt glorifie himſelf, and witneſs that the ſalvation was the immediate work of his arm, Hoſ. 2.7. I will ſave them by the Lord their God.

2. Remember former deliverances in time of ſtraits. In our plenty of mercies we ſhould not be unmindful how near we were to the Pit, nor let the impreſſion of God's power, wiſdom and mercy wear off from our hearts. The Iſraelites were apt to forget the moſt ſignal mercies, though they had ſeen them, and had more ſenſibly taſted the ſweetneſs of them, than their Poſterity. God therefore often puts them in mind of them; The Lord that brought them out of the Land of Aegypt, out of the Iron Furnace, Deut. 4.20. Hoſ. 12.9. I the Lord your God from the Land of Aegypt, Ezek. 23.3. It was the more fit to be remembred by them, becauſe many of them were fitter ſubjects for God's wrath with the Aegyptians, than for his delivering-kindneſs, ſince ſhe committed whoredoms in Aegypt in her youth, i. e. had been guilty of the Aegyptian Idolatry. Unmindfulneſs of former experiences may make you hopeleſs of future deliverances: The remembrance of former mercies is a ground of confidence in God for the like mercies for the future. God recalls to his Peoples minds, in their afflictions, the memorable defeat of the Moabites, by his ſole power, in the time of Jehoſhaphat's Reign; they ſhould from that deliverance hope for as great from the hands of God in their ſtraits. And Zech. 10.11. God would have them conſider their deliverance at the Red Sea, as a ground of hope in the time of their diſtreſs.

3. Thankfully remember former deliverances. If we have not ſome praiſe for God, we may ſuſpect our ſelves.**Lightfoot Temple, cap. 3. p. 9. 'Tis obſerved that the City Shuſhan, the Royal ſeat of the Perſian Monarchy, was pourtrayed upon the eaſt gate of the temple, not becauſe of the Perſian command, or becauſe of their fear of that King, as ſome think; but to have a thankful remembrance of the wonderful deliverance of Purim, which was wrought in Shuſhan, Eſth. 9.26. If it had been only by the Perſians command, it would have been defaced after the fall of that Monarchy, which held but thirty four years after the building of the ſecond Temple. The 136. Pſalm is a good Copy, where is a threefold exhortation to thankfulneſs, in the beginning, and one at the end, and in the record of every mercy the burden of every verſe is, his mercy endureth for ever. How ſhould we imitate the Pſalmiſt? He broke the teeth of the invincible Leviathan in 88, and ſent a ſtrong wind to diſperſe the Fleet, for his mercy endureth for ever; God prevented the dreadful blaſt of Gun-powder, for his mercy endureth for ever. God ſent the light of the Goſpel into England, and freed it from the yoke of Antichriſts tyranny, for his mercy endures for ever. God hath been a wall of fire about Ireland in the protection of it, for his mercy endureth for ever. Let mercy receive the praiſe of what our own wiſdom and power could not effect. The way to overcome the ſame Enemies we fear, is to praiſe God for what he hath before acted againſt them. The ſtrength of a people conſiſts in praiſes, as well as praying, Pſa. 8.2. Out of the mouths of babes and ſucklings haſt thou ordained p. 53ſtrength. In the Evangeliſt, thou haſt perfected praiſe, Mat. 21.16. The more Hallelujahs we put up, the more occaſion God may give us for them. If we have any fears of the overflowing deluge, God formerly delivered us from, our non-improvement of thoſe deliverances, the fruits whereof we enjoy this day, may ſtrengthen our fears. When Iſrael was Idolatrous in Jeroboams reign, yet God delivered them from the Syrians, becauſe he ſaw their affliction was bitter, and there was no helper, yet when they did not thankfully improve it to a reformation, God denounced judgments againſt them for their Idolatry, 2 Kings 14.26, 27. The Lord ſaid not that he would blot out the name of Iſrael; So that he had not yet denounced it, for he waited to ſee the improvement of this mercy. But before the end of Jeroboams reign by the prophet Hoſea, who began to propheſy in his time, he declared their final captivity, from whence they are not reſtored to this day. Praiſe for former mercies is a means to gain future ones; the Muſick of Voices in Jehoſhaphats camp, praiſing the beauty of holineſs, was a prologue of a deliverance from a formidable army, 2 Chron. 20.21, 22. and more ſucceſsful than the warlike muſick of drums and trumpets.

4. Exerciſe faith on the power of God manifeſted in deliverances in the time of ſtraits. 'Tis not for want of ability in God, but for want of faith in us, that we at any time go groaning under miſery; Faith would quiet the Soul: When David relyed upon God, and found by experience God ſuſtaining him, he would not then be afraid of ten thouſand, Pſa. 3.5, 6. Let that be our carriage which is recorded of the Iſraelites after this memorable defeat, Exod. 14.31. They believed the Lord; and his Servant Moſes. We muſt never expect to ſee Gods arm bare, without faith in him. Chriſt can do no great work, where unbelief is predominant. Unbelief doth not ſtrip God of his power, and mercy, but it ſtops the ſtreams and effluxes of it. Unbelief againſt experience is a double ſin; 'Tis groſs when againſt a bare word, worſe when againſt the word confirmed by a Witneſs. Iſrael was paſt thoughts of any relief in this ſtrait, but expected to periſh by the hand of their Enemies, yet God brought them into ſtraits in mercy, to bring them out of ſtraits with power; he makes their diſtreſs a ſnare to their Enemies, and a ſcaffold for their faith. That deliverance ought to be a foundation for our truſt in God, though beſtowed upon another Nation, yet not ſo much upon them as a State, but as a Church, and a type of thoſe future ones under the Goſpel, which are yet expected. Well then, truſt upon this foundation. Great truſt in God is a ſort of obligation upon God: Men out of generoſity will do much for them that depend upon them. Dependance on God magnifies his Attributes, this will bring deliverance, whereby God will magnify himſelf. Do not diſtruſt him, till you meet with an Enemy too ſtrong for him to quell, a red Sea too deep for him to divide, an affliction too ſturdy for him to rebuke, an Aegyptian too proud for him to maſter; Then part with your faith, but not till God hath parted with his power, which he hath formerly evidenc'd.

5. Expect and provide for ſharp conflicts. God brings into ſtraits before he delivers; Another deliverance is yet to come; the Churches diſtreſſes are not come to a period, Babylon hath another game to play. The right of the Devil to tyrannize over the Myſtical Body was taken away at the death of the head, yet he ſtill bruiſeth Chriſts heel, and bites, though he cannot totally overcome. As long as Chriſts Enemies are not made his foot-ſtool, as long as there is the ſeed of the Serpent in the World, as long as Chriſts members want a conformity to the head, Satans pinches muſt be expected; as long as the Beaſt is in being, he will make war with the followers of the Lamb; his power is to continue forty two months, to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them, Revel. 13.5, 7. Forty two months or years. 'Tis like the time is not expir'd: One thouſand ſix hundred and twenty years, which make forty two months; no ending ſince he firſt had his power; when his time draws near to an end, he will bite ſharpeſt. This deliverance from Aegypt is yet again to be acted over, and that muſt be at the end, when the whole Iſrael of God ſhall be freed from Anti-chriſt, the Antitype of Pharaoh.

6. Yet let us not be afraid. Apoſtacies may be great; there will be but two Witneſſes; not two in number, but in regard of the fewneſs of thoſe that ſhall bear teſtimony to the Doctrine of Chriſt: there may be no Advocate for the Church: Sion may be an out-caſt, caſt out of the affection of many that ſerved or favoured her: But the ſharpeſt Convulſions in the world are preſages of an approaching Redemption, Luke 21.28. and the Goſpel will ſhine clearer, as the Sun doth, after it hath been muffled with a thick Cloud. The words in the mouths of the Witneſſes, will be moſt killing and convincing. Fear not a natural above a ſupernatural Power. Was not all the Church God had in the world in as low a condition at the Red Sea? Not a Soul, that we read of, exempt (or but few, as Job, and ſome few others in other parts) yet the Church was then delivered for a Pattern, to ſhew forth the power of God in the Ages to come. What though there may be a want of Inſtruments? Are not all Inſtruments out-liv'd by God? Has God diſmiſt the care of his People? Is he not alwaies the Churches Guardian? He muſt be dethron'd, before he can be diſarmed. While Heaven is too high for humane hands to reach, the Church is too well guarded for them to conquer: Fear not, till Chriſt lets his Scepter fall out of his hands, and ceaſes to rule in the midſt of his Enemies, and flings away the Keys of Death and Hell; fear not till God ſtrips himſelf of his ſtrength, wherewith he is clothed; He is clothed with ſtrength, Pſal. 93.1. Though there be little ſtrength in the Church, there is an Almighty one in their confederate. p. 54'Tis no matter what the Enemy reſolves againſt what God ordains. Pharaoh intended to deſtroy, God intended to deliver. God will have his will, and Pharaoh's luſt goes unſatisfied. When the Enemies are moſt numerous, God ſhall darken their glory and ſtrength, and then ſhall he be the hope and ſtrength of his People, Joel 3.14, 15, 16. The Valley of Achor, the Valley of the ſharpeſt trouble, ſhall be a door of hope, Hoſ. 2.15. That God, that can create a World out of nothing, can create deliverance when there is no viſible means to produce it. What can be too hard for him that can work without materials, that can make matter when it is wanting, and call Non-Entities into being? He created the World with a word, and can deſtroy the ſturdieſt men in the world with a look. The ſtrongeſt Devil trembles before him, and the whole Seed of the Serpent is but as the duſt of the ballance before the breath of his mouth. He looked the Aegyptian Hoſt into diſorder, and their Chariot-wheels into a falling-ſickneſs, Exod. 14.24. He created the World by a word: He reſtored Jeruſalem by a word, Iſa. 44.26, 27. diſpirited Aegypt by a look. There is no need of an Arm; a word, and a look of Omnipotency will be efficacious both for the one and the other; one Royal Edict from him will perform it, Pſal. 44.4. Thou art my King, command deliverance for Jacob. He hath Authority as a King, Engagement as the Churches King: As he hath right of Dominion, ſo he hath an Office of Protection, which the Church of right may claim; and is it Jacob that wants deliverance? be not afraid, but ſanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, Iſa. 8.12, 13. To truſt in his Power, is to ſanctifie his name, and regard him as the Soveraign of all creatures, and the Lord of Hoſts. If we ſanctifie his name by relying on his Power, he will ſanctifie his name by engaging his Power.

7. To this end ſtudy the Promiſes God hath made to his Church, and what Predictions are upon Record. 'Tis a title of the faithful, that they are ſuch as keep the ſayings of the Book of the Revelation, Rev. 22.9. The Angel that came to John, owns himſelf his fellow-ſervant; and of the Prophets, and thoſe that keep the ſayings of that Book. See God's Bond, and behold his witneſs; compare the promiſe, the prophecy, and performance: See his mercy in making them, his truth in performing them; let theſe be as the Hur and Aaron to ſupport the glory of God in our Souls. This will be a matter of praiſe, and furniſh us with Arguments to ſpread before God. Daniel firſt looked into the Book for the ſet time of the Jews return from Babylon, Dan. 9.2. and took his riſe for pleas from thence. You may have need of this food; a Divine Promiſe is the beſt Cordial at a Stake or Gibbet, or when a Sword is at your breaſt.

8. When a time of ſtraits comes, wait patiently upon God: Let not hope ſink, when reaſon is non-pluſt by ſtorms, and ſees nothing but wracks. Wait upon God in the way of his Judgments, Iſa. 26.8. in his ſtorms as well as calms. God waits to be gracious, and therefore we ſhould wait to be gratified. Not to wait, is to be partners in that ſin which brought deſtruction upon the Churches Enemies, viz. pride. It concerns God more in point of his glory, to haſten deliverance in its due time, than us in point of ſecurity; but there is as much danger in coming too ſoon, as too late. By waiting we imitate the higheſt pattern, who waits with patience for the Reformation of his Enemies, and Chriſt who waits for the total Victory. The longer God keeps the Church at any time under the Enemies Chains, the ſweeter will be his mercy to the one, and the ſeverer his Juſtice on the other. The Iſraelites waited, and God followed Pharaoh with Plagues, as he followed them with burdens, and took his time to cut off their Oppreſſors with moſt glory to himſelf, and moſt comfort to them. The Viſion hath its appointed time: Impatience will not make God break the Chains of his Reſolves, but Patience will bring down the bleſſing with great ſucceſs, and big with noble Births. God is not out of the way of his wiſdom and grace, and we can never keep in our way but by patience in waiting: By this we give him the honour of his wiſdom; by too much haſtineſs we check and controul him, and will not let him be the Maſter and Conductor of his own bleſſings. We many times get more good by waiting, than we do by enjoying a mercy: Such a poſture keeps the Soul humble and believing, whereas many times when we receive a mercy too haſtily with one hand, we let go faith and humility with the other. Sincere Souls have the ſtrongeſt and moſt heavenly raptures in a time of waiting, Iſa. 40.31. They mount up with wings like Eagles.

9. In times of ſuch ſtraits, Be found only in a way of duty. If our ſtraits ſhould ever prove as hard as the Iſraelites at the red Sea, i. e. have ſomething of a reſemblance to their caſe, let us follow Moſes his counſel to them, Exod. 14.13. Stand ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord. Let us not anticipate Gods gracious deſigns; if we will have our finger, where God only will have his arm, God may withdraw this arm and leave us to the weakneſs of our own fingers. Let them that want a God to relieve them, uſe ſinful, and unworthy ſhifts for their deliverance. If any ſucceſs be found out of the way of duty, it may be attended with a curſe, and want that favour of God which only can Sanctify it; We may purchaſe a preſent deliverance with a more durable plague at the end of it, becauſe we forfeit that favour which only can work a real freedom. Sinful ways do not glorify God, but diſparage him; our actions at ſuch a time particularly ſhould adorn the goſpel, not diſcredit it, for it is by the Sword of his mouth that ſuch enemies will be deſtroyed, and every Sword cuts beſt when it is ſharpeſt and cleaneſt, not when it is blunt and ruſty. Not but that lawful means may, nay they muſt be uſed. Noah, though he went into the ark by Gods command, p. 55and was not to ſtir out without his order, yet he ſets open the windows, and ſends forth a Raven and a Dove to bring him notice when the waters were dryed up. 'Tis a fooliſh thing to offend God who only can help us in our ſtraits, and by our ſin to hold his Sword in his ſheath, which upon our obedience would be drawn for our relief. We know not how ſoon we may need him, and our diſtreſs be ſuch, that none but he can bring Salvation; let no ſin be a bar in the way.

10. Be much in prayer. Iſrael cryed unto the Lord before God did relieve, Exod. 14.10. The perſecuted Church cryed travelling in birth, and found a ſecurity both for her ſelf and her off-ſpring, Rev. 12.2. &c. The diſtreſs of the time is an argument to be uſed, Pſal. 123.34. Have mercy upon us Lord, for we are exceedingly filled with Contempt. When Enemies are high, and acceſs to God free, 'tis an high contempt of God not to uſe the priviledge he allows us; and 'tis to truſt in an arm of fleſh rather than an arm of Omnipotence; to think him either inexorable, or unable. And for encouragement conſider, you have Chriſt arm'd againſt his Spouſes Enemies, and provided with merit to make her prayers ſucceſsful. Our prayers may at laſt be turned into praiſes: And we may ſay with David, Pſa. 9.6. Oh thou enemy, deſtructions are come to a perpetual end.