Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 9
Verſe 9 Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word, Selah.Verſe 9. Thou didſt cleave the earth with rivers.
For here by the bow of God is meant the armour wherewith with God is furniſhed, for the defence of his Church. This bow is therefore ſaid to be made quite naked, becauſe then God declared that all the wonders which he did in the diviſion of the waters of the red ſea, and of Jordan, were wrought for the preſervation of his Church.
This bow he always had, that is, this ſtrength for his Church, but then he made it ſo naked, that the Aegyptians cryed, let us fly from Iſrael: and the tents of Cuſhan were afflicted, and the curtains of Midian trembled to ſee this bow of the Lord.
Abraham ſaw this bow, but in the caſe, for it was under promiſe, the Patriarchs ſaw it ſomewhat neerer hand, but yet not uncaſed, in the deliverance from Aegypt, it began to be drawn out in the poſſeſſion of the land of Canaan, it was made quite naked, and this was done.
According to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word, that is;
All this was done that thou mighteſt make good thy word, whereby thou hadſt ſworn to give this land to the tribes, the oath of God was ſworn to Abraham, as Zechariah remembreth it.
To perform the mercy promiſed to our fathers, Luke 1.72 73.and to remember his holy Covenant.
The oath which he ſware to our father Abraham.
Selah, is a reſt for meditation, for admiration, it is a confeſſion of the goodneſſe of God.
Thou didſt cleave the earth with rivers] This was another of Gods water-works.
Tremelius and Junius read thus: flumina diffidiſti terrae: and ſo it is no more but what before he ſaid, more plainly expreſt that: he clave the waters to make way for paſſage.
And to omit the various opinions of men, concerning this wonderfull work of God, I think it hath ſpeciall reference to that ſtory, where the people of Iſrael upon the way almoſt periſhing with thirſt,numb. 20.11. and therefore murmuring, Moſes ſtruck the rock, which by the commandement he ſhould onelyonly have ſpoken to, and the waters guſhed out and cut themſelves a channell, which here is called cleaving of the earth with rivers.
Here was a double miracle, one in giving the water out of the rock, whence formerly none have iſſued: another in the continuance of this full ſtream, running along the way of their journey, in the wilderneſs to ſupply them, ſo the Pſalmiſt ſaith; He brought ſtreames alſo out of the rock,Pſal. 78.16. and cauſed waters to run down like rivers.
Theſe words do contein three parts.
1 The wonders which God ſhewed in the waters.
2 The motive that induced him.
3 The argument drawn from hence.
1 The wonders here mentioned are three.
1 He nameth the laſt as freſheſt in memorie, the diviſion of the waters of Jordan, to give way to the paſſage of Iſrael, into the promiſed land.
2 He nameth the firſt, the cutting of a paſſage through the red ſea to bring Jſrael out of Aegypt.
3 He nameth the miracle of giving his people vvater out of the rock, and loading the ſtream along vvith the hoaſt.
2 The motive that induced him
1 Affir.
2 Neg.
1 There vvas internus motor, the invvard motive,1 Affirm▪ his love to Iſrael, and his care to preſerve them, vvhichwhich is expreſt in his riding on the chariots of ſalvation.
2 There vvas externum motivum, the outvvard motive, and that vvas the oaths of the Tribes, even his vvord vvhichwhich he had put to Abraham for that land.
2 Non iratus, I am not angry.
3 The Argument dravvn from hence.2 Neg.
God hath ſhewed himſelf marvelous to Iſrael, in exitu, in their going forth, then he divided a ſea for them in via, in their way, then he made rivers to run in dry places after them, in introitu, in their entrance, then he divided Jordan for them.
Therefore vve may truſt in him, and commit our ſelves to his care, he will never leave us, nor forſake us.
1 Of the wonders ſhewed in the waters, and therein,
1 Of the diviſion of Jordan.
This was a great wonder, the ſtory of it is recorded ſo, for the day before it was done Joſhua ſaid to the people:
Sanctifie your ſelves, Joſh 3 5.for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you: yea, God himſelf ſaid to Joſhua; This day will I magnifie thee in the ſight of all Iſrael, that they may know, that as I was with Moſes, ſo I will be with thee.
The wonder is ſet down thus:
No ſooner did the feet of the Prieſts which bare the Ark, dip in the brim of the water, but the waters that came down from above ſtood, and roſe up upon an heap very far from the City Adam, that is beſide the Zaretan: and thoſe that came down from the Sea of the plain, even the ſalt Sea failed, and were cut off: and the people paſſed over right againſt Jericho.
This was ſo great a wonder, that we read,
When all the Kings of the Amorites which were on the ſide of Jordan weſtward; Joſh. 5.1.and all the Kings of the Cananites which were by the Sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Iſrael: untill we were paſſed over that their hearts melted: neither was there ſpirit in them any more, becauſe of the children of Iſrael.
And the Pſalmiſt doth celebrate the prayſes of God for the ſame, with poeticall ſtreins of divine rapture; he putteth both together, as this our Pſalmiſt doth, both that of the Red Sea, and this of Jordan,
The Sea ſaw that and fled: (i.e. it ſaw that, when Iſrael came out of Egypt,Pſa. 114 2, 3. Judah was his Sanctuary, and Iſrael his dominion.) Jordan was driven back.
What ailed thee O Sea, that thou fleddeſt? thou Iordan that thou waſt turned back?
The things moſt remarkable in that wonderfull work of God were theſe;
1 That the waters of ſo great a River as Iordan ſhould recoil towards their head; for water being a ponderous body, doth naturally fall downward, and ſeeketh ſtill the lower place; but God did make a wall of water to ſtop the decourſe of the ſtream, which was a work againſt nature: for the other part of the ſtream ran on, and left the land dry.
2 The ſecond wonder was the means that God uſed to accompliſh this great work: for the Prieſts that did bear the Arke muſt ſet the firſt foot into the River, for God ſaid;
Aſſoon as the ſoals of the feet of the Prieſts, Joſh 3 13.that bear the Arke of the Lord, the Lord of all the Earth, ſhall reſt in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan ſhall be cut off, &c.
Here was the Arke, the Sacrament viſible of Gods inviſible preſence, and the Prieſts of the Lord bearing it: they had the warrant of Gods Word to attempt this paſſage, and they did not ſo much as wet their feet in that river; no ſooner did the ſoals of their feet touch the water, but they fled from the Lord, not from the Prieſts; yet from the Prieſts as the Lords inſtruments, not that any vertue or efficacie was in the feet of the Prieſts, the vertue was in the Sacrament of Gods preſence, the Ark which they carried upon their ſhoulders: neither was the vertue of that wonder in the Saerament efficiently and primarily, but mediately and inſtrumentally.
It was the work of the Lord of all the Earth, whoſe Sacrament was the Arke, whoſe ſervants the Prieſts.
3 A third wonder was the faith of the Prieſts that did bear the Arke, who could believe a thing in nature ſo impoſſible, in reaſon ſo improbable, that they durſt attempt it both in regard of their ovvn perſons, but eſpecially of the Ark of God vvhichwhich they did bear.
Moſes vvanted faith in a leſſe matter, vvhen God bade him onelyonly ſpeak to the Rock, he ſmote it tvvice, once in vain to puniſh his unbelief, once vvith ſucceſſe to fulfill Gods promiſe.
Yet the Prieſts believed faithfully, and obeyed vvvillingly, and did not debate the matter anxiouſly, or go on timerouſly.
4 A fourth wonder was in the time,Joſh. 3.15. for it was in the time of the harveſt when Jordan overfloweth all the banks, when there was a great deal more river then channel, and the more water, the more wonder.
5 We may adde here to a fifth, that when all the people were paſt over,Joſh. 4.5. Joſhua did command twelve men out of every Tribe a man, to return back again into the midſt of the Channel, and they were not prieſts, but lay-men, and they were not to follow the Ark, but to goe before it, and from thence, they muſt every man bring upon his ſhoulder a ſtone, and thoſe were ſet up in Gilgall for a monument of this paſſage, for the memoriall thereof to their children.
6 The laſt wonder was, that when the twelve men returned from the midſt of the channell of Jordan, to the land which was for them to dwell in. The Prieſts following them with the Arke of God, the ſoals of their feet were no ſooner lifted upon the dry land, but
The waters of Jordan returned to their place, and flowed over all his banks as they did before. Joſh. 4.18.But he names river in my Text, ſo; Further, this mention of the Rivers is yet referred to a former ſtory, wherein God declared his power in the Rivers of the Egyptians, and that not improperly, becauſe then the people were in the houſe of bondage, and the firſt Plague which God put upon the Egyptians was this, All the waters were turned into bloud, Exod. 7▪ 20.the fiſh died, and the Waters ſtanke.
It may alſo renew the memory of tvvo more paſſages over Jordan, 2 Ki…. 2.8.one of Eliah, who took his mantle and wrapped it together, and ſmote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, ſo that they two went over on dry land. V…rſe 14.Another of Eliſha, who took up the mantle of Eliah, and ſtood by the River of Jordan, and ſaid, Where is the Lord God of Eliah, and ſmote the water, and it parted hither and thither, and Eliſha paſt over.
2 In the next place, he remembreth the Sea, meaning the Red Sea, and Gods riding through it, and conducting his Iſrael through the midſt of it,Exo. 14 16. the ſtorie of it is recorded by Moſes.
And there are many vvonders in it.
1 The danger that Iſrael vvas in, the Egyptians behind them vvith povver and fury to deſtroy them, the Sea before them to ſvvallovv them, God opened them a paſſage through the Sea to ſave them for the over-taking of their enemies, and to lead them to the next ſhoar, a wonderfull helpe in extremity of danger.
2 Another vvonder,Exo. 14.16. that God rather uſed Moſes and his rod, then his ovvn vvord, in the parting of the waters of the Sea: for uſing the Miniſtry and ſervice of men, in his great and extraordinary operations, he doth honour to men therein, as he ſaid to Joſhua.
This day will I begin to magnifie thee in the ſight of all Iſrael, Joſh. 3 7.that they may know that as I was with Moſes, ſo I will be with thee.
So the Pſalmiſt ſaith,Pſa. 77.20.
Thou leadeſt thy people like ſheep by the hand of Moſes and Aaron: It is wel obſerved of Maſter Calvine, Miniſtros ſimul commendat, quibus tam honorificum munus deus injunxit.
So in the Goſpel, Chriſt hath honored his Miniſters, to whom he hath committed the office of the miniſtry of reconciliation: teaching by them, baptizing by them, binding and looſning by them, for though he do all theſe things himſelf, as he ſaith, Sine me nihil poteſtis facere, without me you can do nothing, yet he will do nothing ordinarily in theſe things without us, becauſe this is his Ordinance, and the eſtabliſhed conſtitution in his Church.
3 As he uſed the miniſtry of Moſes in this great work of dividing the ſea,Ex…. 14.21 ſo did he alſo uſe the ſervice of an Eaſt-wind all the night, to drive back the vvaters, that dry land might appear.
This abated nothing of the honour of God, that he uſed the ſervice of his creatures, neither can this ſeparation of the waters be, therefore aſcribed to ſome naturall cauſes, ſeeing this wind was miraculouſly ſent of God to this purpoſe.
Some enemies of God have ſlandred this miracle, and ſaid, that the paſſage of Iſrael was but an advantage taken of an extraordinary neap tide, which turns the truth into a lye, for it is here added, that the vvaters vvere a vvall on both ſides of them.
The work it ſelf of dividing the ſea, that was the greateſt, what is the rod of Moſes, or the force of an eaſt wind to part the waters in two, and to cut out a lane of dry land, in the midſt of the ſea for ſuch an armie to paſſe through on foot, to make the waters a fluent and liquid element to ſtand on both ſides, as a wall and fence to their paſſage.
Yet I muſt tell you that many learned have believed and written, that the waters of the ſea were divided in twelve places, and twelve lanes, cut out, for the twelve tribes to paſſe over every of the tribes a part, and by himſelf.
And this was the tradition of the Hebrews: as St. Origen, upon this place affirmeth.
Audivi à majoribus traditum quod in iſta digreſſione maris, Hom. 5 in Exod.ſingulis quibuſ que tribubus filiorum Iſr. ſingulae aquarum diviſiones factae ſunt, & propria unicui que tribui in mari aperta ſit via.
And for proof,Pſ. 136.13. he alledgeth the words of the Pſalme. He divided the red ſea into parts, it is rendered in diviſions, implying more than one diviſion.
I ſay with St. Origen. Haec à majoribus obſervata in Scripturis divinis religioſum credidi non tacere.
But though this do much advance the glory of Gods power, yet becauſe it is not recorded in this ſtory of the paſſage, we need not admit it, and againſt it I finde, that the place alledged will not carry it through. For the ſame word which is uſed to expreſſe the diviſion of the waters in this ſtory, is uſed by Moſes, in the ſtory of Abraham.
Who by the comandement of God, took a young heifer, a ſheegoat, Gen. 15 9, 1….a ram, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon, an… divided them in the midſt, and layed each piece; one againſt another.
Here was a diviſion made but into two parts, onelyonly, yet it is ſaid after that, behold, a ſmoaking furnace, and a lamp of fire paſt between thoſe pieces: the word is the ſame foreign, yet the diviſion was but into two, no doubt, that ſtory would not have concealed ſo great an addition to the wonder, ſo much ſerning to ſet forth the glory of God.
The Lord ſufficiently ſhewed his Church that all things ſerve him, and they had as good cauſe as thoſe in the Goſpel to have ſaid: Who is this, that both winds and ſea obey him?
5 Another wonder was the hand of God, drawing the Egyptians, Pharoah and his hoaſt after Iſrael, into the, ſea for God hath taken it upon himſelf, that this was his own doing.
And I, behold I, will harden the hearts of the Aegyptians, Ex 14.17.and they ſhall follow them, and I will get me honour upon Pharoah, and upon all his hoaſt; upon his chariots, and upon his horſ…men.
And the Aegyptians ſhall know that I am the Lord.Verſe 18.
They, no doubt, had their own ends in this, for as St. James ſaith;
Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luſt, Jam 1.14.and entiſed.
They had their own motives to draw them into this miſchief.
1 Their deſire to recover the Iſrael to their ſervice, whom they held ſo long vaſſals to them.
2 They had alſo a deſire to recover from them the wealth of Aegypt, which they had improvidently parted with to the Iſraelites.
3 Their deſire of revenge to puniſh this flight, and this robbery of the Aegyptians.
4 Their error who thought they might paſſe as ſafely after Iſrael, as Iſrael went before, as Joſephus ſpeaks for them.
Theſe motives grew within themſelves, and they were their own luſts.
But God gave them over to theſe luſts and deſires, of purpoſe to puniſh their cruelty to his people, and to make his name glorious in the deliverance of his Church, and in the conqueſt of the enemies thereof.
It is revenge enough in God upon man, to leave him to his own ways, for they lead him to deſtruction.
Some heathen writers have charged all this wonder of the eſcape of Iſrael, and of the paſſage through the ſea upon Moſes, who by art Magick, they ſay did all this.
But could he by that art work upon the affections, and wils of King Pharoah, and all his people, to force them after Iſrael, into the red ſea.
The moſt that we read of Moſes, concerning any art in naturall Philoſophy, is, that Moſes was brought up in all the wiſedome of the Aegyptians, and no man thinketh that he got all their wiſedome from them: how then did not the wiſedome of the Aegyptians, at time ſerve the Aegyptians themſelves; when this was done.
6 Another memorable miracle of this paſſage was, that before all Iſrael, had recovered the further ſhore, the ſame paſſage was ſafe to Iſrael, and pernitious and fatall to the Aegyptians, which appeared:
1 Becauſe God did not let the waters come together, to hinder the Aegyptians purſuit, but kept them divided, till they vvere all within the verge of the ſea, for this God could have done, as it after follovveth.
2 That to hinder their journey of purſuit, God turned the pillar of Cloud behind Iſrael, between them and the Aegyptians, ſo that Iſrael led the vvay by a clear light, the Aegyptians follovved them in the dark.
3 That their chariot vvheels vvere ſmitten off in the night, ſo that they drove uneaſily.
4 That the vvaters came together upon their conſultation to return, and drovvned them all, before all the children of Iſrael, had recovered the further ſhore.
7 The laſt memorable wonder was the caſting up of the bodies of the Egyptians upon the further ſhore, which Iſrael had recovered, and whereon they pitched, to make good the word of Moſes: you ſhall ſee them no more, that is, living to terrifie you, thus Iſrael ſaw what God had done for them; and their eyes, had it deſire againſt their enemies.
All theſe be things worth remembring.
3 He addeth another wonderful mercy, in cleaving the earth with rivers: which hath reference, as you have heard, to Numb. 20.11. In which,
1 It is wonderfull, that God hearing the murmur of his people for want of water, had not puniſhed their ſin with preſent death; but did chooſe rather to give them their hearts deſire, and to ſatisfie them with water.
2 That he made the rock to yield them water, which did not naturally, but by vertue of his word.
3 That it ſhould have been done ſo eaſily, as by a word of Moſes, that it was done ſo eaſily, as by twice ſmiting
4 That thoſe waters did follow the hoaſt to relieve it all the way of their journey, till they had other ſupply, as alſo the Manna did, till they came to come in Canaan, ſo theſe waters ran into no ſea.
5 That theſe rivers dryed up after Iſrael, and no ſhew of any river ever ſince, vvhere theſe vvaters ran in dry places, to ſhevv vvho ordained that ſtream, and for whom.
Though God hath had his praiſe for all the things before, yet they deſire, Canticum novum, a new ſong.
Here, and here it is work for the rector Chori.
2 The motive that induced God to do all this for his people,1 Affirm. expreſt in two things: internus motor.
1 His deſire of the preſervation of his Iſrael, For he did ride upon his Horſes and Chariots of ſalvation. Pharaoh followed Iſrael into the red Sea on horſes and in chariots, theſe were the horſes and chariots of deſtruction, God took off their wheels, and they failed in their ſpeed.
But God went forth with ſalvation: Iſrael could not but ſee in all theſe wonderfull works of God, that God was for them.
1 In their ſetting forth, to bring them out of the houſe of bondage, even through the ſea.
2 In the way of their journey, to quench their thirſt in the dry and unwatered wilderneſs.
3 At their journeys end, to open them a paſſage into the promiſed land through Jordan.
Iſrael is a type of the Catholique Church of God on earth, and their paſſage from Egypt to Canaan, is a type of our paſſage from the wombe to heaven, and God is the ſame, his Church is as dear to him as ever it was, and he hath taken upon him the care of it.
He is called by Job, The preſerver of men, eſpecially of his elect.
Here are onelyonly mentioned three of the moſt eminent wonders of God: there were many more which David repeated; Pſal. 105, & 106.
All theſe were the effects of the free favour of God to his people,Pſ. 106.21. whereby he got the name of a Saviour. And th… Pſalmiſt prayeth.
Remember me, Pſ. 106.4.O Lord, with the favour that thou beareſt to thy people, O viſit me with thy ſaluation.
This was a ſingular favour, for he ſaith alſo, Non fecit taliter, he did not ſo to any Nation.
That I may ſee the good of thy choſen, Verſe 5.that I may rejoyce in the gladneſs of thy Nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.
For this favour of God to his Church is a ſpeciall grace above his univerſall protection.
This it is that the Spouſe of Chriſt doth pray for. Set me as a ſeal on thy heart, Cant. 8.6.and as a Signet upon thine arm.
That wiſh of the Church then was thus, and is now an Article of Faith: that prayer was then, and now is our Creed.
But much more evidently hath this eternall love of God to his Church in Chriſt Jeſus ſhewed it ſelf: ſince Chriſt our Saviour was made manifeſt in the fleſh; and much more hath it extended, and dilated it ſelf, ſince he was believed on of the Gentiles; and preached to the world.
For when God once had fitted him with a body, and therewith had given him a heart like ours, and ſuch an arm as we have, and ſuch hands, it hath been more diſcerned, how we were ſet as a ſeal upon that heart, how we are worne upon that arm, how we are ingraven in the Palms of thoſe hands. For that heart was pierced with a ſpear, thoſe hands were nailed to the Croſſe, and theſe be the ſtamps and Characters of his love to us.
And as the affection of love is noted to be moſt vehement in a woman, as David doth imply when he bewailed Jonathans death.
Thy love to me was wonderfull, paſſing the love of women: 2 Sam. 1.26.ſo our Saviour to take upon him this affection in the deareſt tenderneſs, and moſt intenſe meaſure and degree, is ſaid to be made of a woman, and ſhe a Virgin.
And that ſin might not corrupt this affection,Ga. 4.4. or harden the heart: He was conceive by the Holy Ghoſt.
The Church doth well to remember this intereſt that God gave them in this land, for there out ſuck they no ſmall advantage.
This calls God the God of Iſrael, and it cals Iſrael Gods peculiar people: this doth ſpread the wings of this Hen over all her Chickens, and gathereth them together under the ſame, it makes them roome in the boſome of God.
2 Another motive vvas the oaths of the tribes, even Gods Word: that is, the covenant of God made vvith Abraham and his ſeed, for ſo the Pſalmiſt doth expreſſe it;
He hath remembred his Covenant for ever: Pſ. 105.8.the word that he commanded to a thouſand generations.
Which Covenant he made with Abraham and his oath unto Iſaac.
And confirmed the ſame unto Jacob for a Law, and to Iſrael for an everlaſting Covenant.
And after having briefly ſurveyed the ſtory of Iſraels deliverance and paſſage, having recapitulated the comming of Iſrael into Egypt, the plagues of Egypt, there comming out thence vvith the vvealth of Egypt, the pillar of cloud, the pillar of fire, the Quails, the Manna, the vvater out of the rock, he gives this reaſon of ad, for he remembred his holy promiſe, V…rſe 42.and Abraham his ſervant.
Of this oath of God, the Authour to the Hebrews, Heb. 6.13.for when God made a promiſe to Abraham, becauſe he could ſwear by no greater, he ſwear by himſelf, ſaying.
Surely, bleſſing, I will bleſſe thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee.
The reaſon vvhy God bound himſelf by oath followeth.
Wherein God willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the heirs of promiſe, Verſe 17.the immutability of his counſell confirmed it by an oath. This was a great obligation to bind God to this performance, neither doth it any vvhit abridge his own liberty, but that he remained Liberimum agens ſtill, for that he declared therein the conſtancy of his decree, which vvas foreign.
2 Becauſe as I have ſhewed, that and all other Gods promiſes have reference to the obedience of the people, ſo that God might have cancelled this obligation upon their forfeiture thereof by diſobedience, if he had pleaſed, which maketh good the former motive of his own good wil and favour, vvho notwithſtanding, their many provocations and rebellions, yet performed this promiſe.
2 The motive is negatively ſet down, For here it is expreſt vvhat vvas not the cauſe of theſe vvonderfull vvater-vvorks, vvas it? vvhichwhich is as much, as it was not becauſe the Lord was diſpleaſed at rivers, it was not becauſe his wrath was againſt the ſea.
To part the Sea in two, to divide Jordan, to make rivers run a vvhile in full ſtream to ſerve his people, was no diſpleaſure taken at theſe elements.
God never layeth his rod upon thoſe creatures, which he hath ordained for the ſervice of man, but to puniſh man.
To the creature it is all one to keep the naturall order of creation, or to ſuffer ſupernaturall alteration, for omnia illi ſerviunt, all things do ſerve him, vvas God angry vvith the earth vvhen he curſed it after Adams fall, vvhen he drown'd it, after it grevv full of cruelty.
The inſenſible creatures do the will of him that made them.
It is recorded as a blemiſh to that mighty King Xerxes, Herod. Polihim lib. 7. Num. 173.that he fooliſhly overweened his power in ſuch a caſe.
For being to paſſe his army over the Helleſpont, where the ſea vvas about ſeven furlongs over, he cauſed a bridge to be made of floaty veſſels to that purpoſe.
But a great tempeſt ariſing, and breaking his bridge, vvhen he heard thereof, he vvas in ſuch paſſion at the ſea, that he commanded it to be puniſhed vvith three hundred ſtripes: and he caſt in fetters into it to take it priſoner, and cauſed theſe vviſe vvords to be ſpoken to it.
O aqua amara, Dominus hanc tibi irrogat poenam, quod eum laeſiſti, qui de te nihil mali meritus es: te tamen Rex Xerxes, velis, noliſve tranſmittet.
As wiſely, either he himſelf, or as Herodotus reporteth,Clio 34. Cyrus. Cyrus his Grandfather fell out with the river Gyndes, for drowning him a white horſe, but his revenge was more in ſight, ſo was his deliberate furious folly. For he ſet his army a work to cut out new channels, and divided the river into 360 brooks, ut à mulieribus ne genua tingentibus tranſiri poſſit.
But our God had no quarrell, the text ſaith, to theſe inanimate creatures of his, which were ſo at his command. The Church here doth God right, to confeſſe the true motive, of this extraordinary operation of God, ſo here is a double confeſſion.
1 That Tu, Domine, feciſti, thou, Lord, haſt done it.
2 That he did for ſuch a cauſe.
This is not barely avouched, but it is proved. Thy bow was made quite naked, that is, thou didſt let all the world take notice of thy power, and ſtrength, and favour, in the cauſe of thy Church. At the comming of God in great Majeſty and Glory on Mount Sinai, to give the law, before-mentioned, there was abſconſio roboris, the hiding of his ſtrength, God revealed himſelf then to Iſrael onelyonly, but theſe three great wonders here confeſt, did uncaſe the bow of God, & made it quite naked, ſo that all nations might take knowledge of the arm of the Lord, and might give teſtimony to the ſame.
The Argument drawn from hence is ſtill the ſame, for from the former evidences of Gods great power and mercy ſhewed, and openly, declared unto the Church, they gather comfort to aſſure themſelves of the favour of God, toward them in this captivity in Babylon.
They know and believe that the hand of God is not ſhortned, nor his arme weakned, but that he who was able to cut a way for them through the ſea, and the river of Jordan, and to make rivers run in dry places, to relieve their fathers in the wilderneſſe, is ſtill as able to ſuccour them in that captivity againſt the King of Babel, and all the Chaldeans, ſo hee ſheweth by what faith the juſt ſhall live in their baniſhment.
Namely, by faith grounded on the power and wiſedome, and love of God, and of his truth.
The doctrines which this paſſage affordeth are theſe.
1 God muſt have the glory of his own great Works. Doctr. David is a full example of this duty, for, 1 in his own caſe, he ſaith,Pſ. 66.16. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my ſoul.
2 He ſtirreth up others to do the like, even in this caſe mentioned in my text. Come and ſee the works of God, Pſ. 66.5, 6.he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men. He turned the ſea into dry land, they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoyce in him.
The reaſon hereof is in ſight, Reaſ. 1 for David ſaith, this honour is due to his name.
We have two debts which we ſhall ever be paying, and yet never clear with our Creditors, that is of prayſe to God, of love to our neighbours, he that came of purpoſe into the world to pay our debts hath not wip't off this ſcore, rather he hath ſet us further in debt.
1 To our brother: if God ſo loyed us as to ſend his Sonne amongſt us, we ought alſo to love one another ſo much the more.
2 To himſelf: David ſaith, The loving kindneſſe of the Lord is ever more and more toward us: therefore, laus ejus erit ſemper in ore meo, his prayſe ſhall be ever in my mouth. The comming of Chriſt amongſt us hath made it more and more ſeen, for therein the bow of God was made quite naked.
2 We muſt do God this right to honour him in his own works, Reaſ. 2 becauſe, if we be ſilent, and do not our duty herein, yet David ſaith;Pſ. 145.10. All thy works ſhall praiſe thee, O Lord.
3 We ſee the enemies of God do not ſpare to do all they can to rob God of his glory, Reaſ. 3 and as one ſaith Vigilat boſtis, & tu dormis? the enemy waketh, and doſt thou ſleep?
Some gave out amongſt the Egyptians, that this paſſage over the ſea on dry land, was onelyonly an advantage taken by Moſes, of a great ebbe occaſioned by an extraordinary wind, which comming of the land, at the head of the bay, made all the head of the bay dry land for many miles together, but the text is againſt that, for it ſheweth how the waters were a wall unto them on both hands.
Again, the waters were divided by an Eaſt vvind, but that vvind blows not from that ſhore, but rather it ſhould have been a Northerly vvind: others imputed this to Moſes, as done by magicall arts, vvhichwhich if it had been ſo, no doubt, but there vvere vvith Pharcah, of his Magitians that could in the learning of the Egyptians, have vvrought vvith Moſes hand to hand.
And ſurely, that is the reaſon, that there is ſo often mention of this vvonder in Scripture, to ſtirre up all faithfull people to vindicate the honour of God, againſt the depravers thereof.
This admoniſheth us both to the hearing and reading the ſtory of the Bible, Ʋſe 2 that we may underſtand what the Lord hath done in former ages:Gen. 18.19 God himſelf made Abraham ſo much of his counſail, for that, becauſe he knew that Abraham would teach his children.
And for that the Sacrament of the Paſſeover was inſtituted,Ex. 12.26. for that it might teach their children after them.
For this were the twelve ſtones ſet up in Gilgall, Joſh. 4.21.to teach the ſtory of the paſſage over Jordan; and in the New Teſtament, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was inſtituted in remembrance of Chriſt till his coming: ſo many as would learn matter enough to fill their mouthes with the praiſe of God, let them open the two Teſtaments, and read therein, let them hear and ſtudy that holy ſtory, there is enough in it to make a man wiſe to ſalvation.
For this is your wiſedom and underſtanding to know the Lord and to ſerve him, and to honour him, for, For him that honoureth me, I will honour, ſaith our God.
2 This reproveth thoſe that ſwallow the gratious favours Ʋſe 2 of God without any reliſh or taſt of them, & neither conſider the former mercies of God, nor his preſent bleſſings, that live like bruit beaſts, ſaying, this day is like yeſterday, and to morrow will be like this day, and more abundant: and ſuch ſenſuall and carnal ſons of nature there are that reap benefits, where they never ſowed prayers, and gather mercies where they never ſcattered ſupplications,
3 This chideth the Euchites of our time, Ʋſe 3 that are all for prayer, and they never give God reſt from petitious, but like the nine Leapers, when they are healed they never return any thanks.
I have ever commended to you the uſe of prayer, it is a ſpeciall part of Gods worſhip, and God loves both frequent and importunate petitions, but if we part praiſe from it, and do not joyn thankſgiving with ſupplication, we have the profit, but God hath not the honour of his own favours.
All our care muſt not be who will ſhew us any good? we muſt alſo offer to him the ſacrifices of righteouſneſs, as well as call upon the name of the Lord, for quid recipiam, we muſt have, quod retribuam.
Seeing God muſt have the glory of his own great works, Ʋſe 4 we muſt take the pains to ſearch after them; not onelyonly content our ſelves with ſuch as offer themſelves to our conſideration, but we muſt take delight to look them out, ſo David;
The works of the Lord are great, Pſa. 111.2.ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein
His work is honorable and glorious, and his righteouſneſs endureth for ever.
He hath made his wonderfull works to be remembred. Which ſhews that our praiſing of the name of God is no meritorious act of free-will, but an officious ſervice due to him, and it is a great injuſtice in you to deny it to him: for David ſaith, He is worthy to be praiſed.
This ſerveth for caution; Ʋſe 5 It is a glory to God vvhen vve thankfully remember vvith praiſe the vvonderfull vvorks that he hath done, but it is no honour to him at all vvhen vve report of him more then he hath done, and put miracles upon him that he never did.
The Church of Rome hath long had a buſie hand in theſe falſe aſcriptions: the golden legend of vvorm-eaten authority amongſt them, and their Speculum exemplorum, ſet forth by John Major a Jeſuite in Anno 1607; and Cantipatranus a Domican Friers full Volume of miracles, ſet forth, Anno, 1605. tell fine tails, ridiculous, even to children, yet the implicite faith of Papiſts doth ſvvallovv all for canonicall: vvherein God is diſhonored vvith humane inventions, and truth it ſelf vvith lies: their legends of their Ladies of Loretto, and Hales; are of the ſame coynage: and it is the policy of that Strumpet of Rome to keep this mint alvvays at vvork, to amaze the ignorant vvith ſtrange vvonders.
But I ſay unto them in the vvords of Iob, Job 13.7.Will ye ſpeak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
Gregory their own Pope, upon theſe words, ſaith, Veritas fulciri non quaerit auxilio falſitatis; he ſaith, that it is the trick of hereticks: It is, I am ſure, the practiſe of Papiſts, but thou man of God fly theſe things; truth is not honored but vvith truth.
2 We muſt ſearch out, and confeſſe, the true cauſe of all the good that God doth to us. Doct. 2
It is Ariſtotles Doctrine in his Elenches, that,Elene. 1.4. id quod non eſt cauſa ut cauſam ponere, to make that a cauſe which is not; is a capatious and ſophiſtical manner of reaſoning.
So the Serpent over-reach't Eve in Paradiſe; for when God had given our Parents there a preciſe Law, Thou ſhalt not eat of the tree in the midſt of the Garden.
The true cauſe why God put that reſtraint upon them, vvas to try their obedience to him, in a ſmall and eaſie precept; forbidding them a thing in it ſelf good, to ſhew his reſervation of his own power to awe them. So ſaith,Mo…. 35.10 Saint Gregory.
But Satan tempting the woman to break this Law, and to caſt off this light burthen, and eaſie yoak of God, ſuggeſted another cauſe:Gen. 3.5. God doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eys ſhall be opened, and ye ſhall be as Gods knowing good and evil: as if God had dealt too ſparingly with man in the communication of his own ſimilitude to him, and had ſet him that bar to keep him from attaining the perfection thereof.
So Eve deceived her ſelf, for when God gave her Iſſachar her fift ſon,Ge 30.18. ſhe ſaid, God hath given me my hire, becauſe I have given my maiden to my husband,
Wherein ſhe deceived her ſelf, for by adding one wife more to the number of Jacobs Wives, ſhe did violate the ſtate of matrimony, vvhichwhich in the inſtitution; vvas in theſe words.
I will make him a help meet for him, not helps, and ſo Adam underſtood it,Gen. 2.24. for he ſaid; A man ſhall forſake Father and Mother and cleave to his wife, not wives; and they ſhall be one fleſh.
Which leſt the friends of Poligamie might underſtand of many wives, Chriſt citing this place, addeth by vvay of interpretation
And they twaine ſhall be one fleſh, Mat. 10.8.
So Saint Paul underſtood it,Mat. 19.5. 1 Cor. 6.16 two ſhall be one fleſh.
So the Prophet Malachy underſtood it, for charging his people with this ſin of breach of Wedlock, he ſpeaketh as to one man.
Thou haſt dealt treacherouſly againſt the Wife of thy youth, Mal. 2.14yet is ſhe thy companion, and the wife of thy Covenant.
And did not he make one: yet had he the excellency of ſpirit, and wherefore one, that he might ſeek a godly ſeed.
So that this giving of her maid to her husband, was no good ſervice done to God that ſhe ſhould expect wages, it was rather a treſpaſs of vvedlock, hovvſoever it pleaſed God to diſpenſe vvith it in the fathers of former ages; but our rule is, quomodo fuit in principio, hovv vvas it at the beginning; for vve knovv, that he vvho had abundance of ſpirit, could have created many Wives for Adam, if he had thought it fit, and then for the encreaſe of the ſeed of man, and the ſpeedy peopling of the vvorld, there vvas more need of Poligamy, then vvas ever ſince.
I urge the fallacy, here, Non cauſa pro cauſa.
So Micah vvhen he had made him gods, and gotten a Prieſt into his houſe, flattered himſelf.
Now I know that the Lord will do me good, Judg. 17.13.ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt.
This vvas Idolatry, one of the greateſt provocations of God to anger that could be, yet he vvould flatter himſelf, that this vvould turn a cauſe of his vvel-doing.
Theſe three examples do ſufficiently open our ſenſe, to perceive the cunning of this fallacious ſuggeſtion in ourſelves.
The Doctrine of merit vvhichwhich the Church of Rome teacheth is a naturall Doctrine, as God ſaid to Cain: If thou do well ſhalt thou not be accepted: it is true, that God accepteth even vveak ſervices from us, but as vve ſay, it is more of his courteſie then our deſerving: if vve call it vvages that he giveth us in revvard, vve over-ween our ovvn vvorks.
And this is a ſpecial ſin vvhervvith God doth puniſh the ſins of the ungodly in the Church of Rome, the ſeat of Antichriſt, as the Apoſtle plainly deſcribeth it.
God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions, 2 Theſ. 2.11.that they ſhould believe a lye.
They believe that to be the cauſe of their ſalvation that is not.
The reaſon of this Doctrine, Reaſon. Why vve muſt faſten upon the true cauſe of Gods favour to us is: Becauſe faith not rightly grounded, is not faith but preſumption.
True faith can find no reſt, but in the aſſurance of Gods goodneſſe to us.
God doth many favours to the vvicked here in this life; vvhichwhich he doth not for any love that he beareth to them, but for the uſe that he maketh of them, to vvhip and ſcourge others by them; as for example, God to Ezekiel, Son of man, Eze 29.18.Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel cauſed his Army to ſerve a great ſervice againſt Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every ſhoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his Army for Tyrus, for the ſervice that he had ſerved againſt it.
Therefore, thus ſaith the Lord God, Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, and he ſhall take her multitude, and take her ſpoile, and take her prey, and it ſhall be the wages for his Army,
Becauſe they wrought for me, 1….ſaith the Lord God.
Here is the King of Babylon doubly rewarded, with ſucceſſe and victory againſt Tyrus, with the poſſeſſion and ſpoile of Egypt, not for any favour that God did bear to the King of Babylon, but to puniſh the iniquity of Tyrus, and of Egypt.
Let not Nebuchaduezzar boaſt of the favor of the Lord, that he ſet him a work and paid him his wages, the ſins of theſe ungodly people, not the goodneſs of God to the King of Babylon did all this.
We ſee daily, that the vvicked do compaſſe about the righteous, the poor Church of God bleedeth in many places of Chriſtendome, the enemy proſcribeth, impriſoneth, beheadeth, hangeth, cutteth out the tongues, ſmiteth off the hands of Gods faithfull Servants, and deviſeth nevv tortures to make death more terrible and more painfull.
This ſvvelleth the enemies of God vvith pride, and they impute all this ſucceſſe againſt the Church of God, to the love of God tovvard them, and the juſtice of their cauſe is mainteined by the Jeſuits, abetments, and acclamations.
But thus, did Babylon prevail againſt Gods ovvn Iſrael, for a time, the diſtreſſed part of the Church vvhichwhich groaneth under theſe burthens; doth not hang the head for this.
They knovv that their ſins have deſerved theſe rods, they have had the light, and have not vvalked vvorthy of that light, therefore is this evill come upon them, yet let them take courage and ſay:
Why beaſteſt thou thy ſelf in miſchief thou mighty man? Pſal. 52.….the goodneſſe of God endureth continually: there is our Selah, the reſt of our muſique, this is the joy of the Churches harveſt.
And great is the profit of this point.
Ʋſe 1 1 When vve have found the true cauſe of Gods favours to be in himſelf, and not in us, we may aſſure our ſelves that his mercy endureth for ever, for his gifts and calling are without repentance,
2 A greater comfort then this is, that godlineſſe hath not onelyonly the promiſe of this life, but of the life to come alſo.
3 We may riſe in comfort a degree higher, to aſſure our ſelves, that this favour of God will give us our fruit unto holineſſe, for theſe go together, Gods love to us, and our comfort, and hope in him, for this fruit,Rom. 6.22. as the Apoſtle joyneth them.
Now our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, and God even our Father, 2 Theſ 2.16.17.which hath loved us, and given us everlaſting conſolation, and good help through grace. Comfort your hearts, and ſtabliſh you in every good word and work.
This bleſſing of the Apoſtle doth ſhew, that when the love of God is ſetled, there followeth grace and expreſſure of his favour, that bringeth forth inward conſolation, of the ſpirit preſent, good hope for the time to come, an eſtabliſhing of the heart in holineſſe.
This I name as the higheſt ſtep of our exaltation, becauſe this repairs in us the image of God, which is his holineſſe, and the true children of God do value this above their eternall life.
For let us ſee, wherein the weight of the bleſſing and curſing of ſheep and goats doth lye. It is not the gift of eternall life, that is, our happineſſe in heauen, but as David ſaith; in his favour is life: if a damned ſoul ſhould be admitted to the fruition of all the pleaſures of eternall life, without the favour of God, heaven would be hell to him.
It is not the dark and horrid houſe of woe that maketh a ſoul miſerable in hell, but Gods diſpleaſure: ite maledicti: if an elect ſoul could be caſt thither, and retein the favour of God, hell would be an heaven to him, and his joy could not all the Devils of hell take from him, his night would be turned into day.
The Angels ſinned in heaven, and in the place of joy loſt Gods favour.
The ſoul of the Son of God was in hell, and hell was an heaven to it, becauſe God was with him in the valley of the ſhadow of death, and left not his ſoul in hell, he took him from the nethermoſt hell.
3 Doctrine. The truth of God is a good ground.
For faith gathered from Gods oath to the tribes, even his word: he addeth Selah, to ſhevv that vve may ſafely reſt there.
The reaſon is becauſe, The Word of God is a ſure word, and thoſe things wherein men fail, are not incident to him.
1 Whereas men do promiſe or ſwear raſhly, and without conſideration, as David did, when he ſwore that he would not leave one of the houſe of Nahall to make water againſt a wall, God cannot fail that way, becauſe he doth all things with ſtable truth, and according to the counſail of his will.
2 Men do ſometimes vow and ſwear things utterly unlawfull, and moſt wicked, as Herod did to Herodias daughter, to give her whatſoever ſhe demanded of him, which included the life of John Baptiſt. So there were many that ſwore they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, our God cannot fail ſo far, he loveth righteouſneſſe, neither ſhall any evill dwell with him.
3 Whereas many promiſe, and ſwear, what they mean not ever to perform, as Jacobs Sons in the Covenant, that they made of confederacy with Hamor the Son of Shechem: the Apoſtle ſaith: Our God cannot lie.
4 Whereas many amongſt men, do ſwear and promiſe, that vvhichwhich they are never able to perform, therein like the Devil, who ſaid to Chriſt, Omnia hac tibi dabo, all theſe will I give thee: God herein cannot faile, for hee is omnipotent, and he doth whatſoever he wil in heaven and earth, & in abyſſis. So then, if the Word of God be gone out of his mouth, we may build faith upon it, for heaven and earth may and ſhall paſſe away, ſo ſhal not one jod of the Word of God.
5 Times may change with men, and he that was rich and able to make good his word, may ſuddenly be poor and break, and fail: but God is without variableneſſe, or ſhadow▪ of alteration, all times are in his hand and power.
This ſerveth for confirmation of faith, Ʋſe 1 for ſuch uſe the Apoſtle doth make of it, who ſpeaking of the Decree and Oath of God, ſaith,
That by two immutable things in which it was impoſſible for God to lye, H…b. 6.18.we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us, By this faith, the juſt liveth in Babylon, and in the weakneſs of their temporall eſtate they have foreign, and thus they lay hand upon the hope ſet before them in the word.
Jonah ſaith, They that follow lying vanities do forſake their own merciemercy: Vana ſalus hominis, vain is the help of man: they that go down to Egypt for help, have their woe threatned.
An horſe is but a vain thing to help a man; Princes are the ſons of men, there is no help in them: the word of God faileth none.
At that Word Abraham will leave his own Country, and go he cares not, he enquires not whether. At that Word Abraham will go three days journy to kill Iſaac with his own hands, and will never diſpute how the promiſe of God ſhall be performed, That in Iſaac his ſeed ſhould be bleſſed.
At that Word Peter will let fall his net, againſt all rules of fiſhing, and he will forſake the Ship to come to Chriſt upon the Sea, by the warrant of that Word.
The promiſes of God to his Church, and his threatnings of ſin recorded in the living Book of his word are not antiquate, no age ſhall ever ſuperannate them, or put them out of full force and vertue.
What if good perſons, and good cauſes do ſuffer oppreſſion? the Poet is a Divine in that caſe, Non ſi male noſter & olim ſic erit, informes hyenes reducit Jupiter idem ſummovit, after foul weather comes fair, though it be ill with us now, it will not be always.
What if enemies of Religion, and Moaths of Common-wealths, do flouriſh and proſper, and have all things at will, let it not trouble David, and Job, both of them ſaw as fair a Sun-ſhine ſhut up in a dark cloud, and a world of foul weather following.
2 This tenderneſſe in God of his word and oath,2 Ʋſe. doth ſerve for example to teach us to make conſcience of our promiſes and oaths; and we may urge the Argument as the Apoſtle doth. If God ſo loved us, we ought alſo to love one another. So
If God be carefull to keep his promiſe and oath with us, we ought alſo to do the like with our brethren.
Here ariſe two Quaeries;
1 Whether it be lawfull to ſwear at all,
2 Whether all oaths muſt be kept.
1 An liciat jurare? is it lawfull to ſwear?
An oath is, a calling of God to witneſſe in ſuch things as cannot otherwiſe be aſſured, and it is of tvvo ſorts.
1 Aſſertorie, when we do call God to witneſſe againſt our ſouls, if we affirm not the truth: in this caſe the awe of Gods Majeſtie, is thought to be ſuch a rule of the conſcience, that no man will dare to violate the religion of an oath.
2 Promiſſary, When vve do engage the honour of God, for the truth of our purpoſe, to performe vvhat vve promiſe, and vve caſt our ſelves upon his juſt judgement, if vve be either deceitful in our promiſe, or unfaithful in our performance.
This may anſvver the firſt Quaere, for this doth declare that an oath doth ſerve,
1 For the glory of God,
2 For the good of our Brethren.
1 The glory of God, for it ſhevveth him,
1 To be preſent amongſt us, and privy to our ways,
2 To be a God of Truth;
3 To be a God of juſtice to puniſh unfaithfulneſſe.
2 It ſheweth that we by ſin have loſt our credit, and therefore God doth engage himſelf for ſuch as ſwear aright.
2 It ſerveth for the good of our Brethren,H…b. 5.19. for it is the end of all ſtrife.
I wil not enter into the liſts with the Anabaptiſts, to confute their weak arguments againſt the lawfulneſſe of an oath, you hear it warranted by reaſon, and examples grow thick in the book of God to juſtifie it.
2 Quaere, Whether every oath be to be kept.
To that we anſwer in a word; every lawfull oath is to be kept, ſo is every lawfull promiſe.
If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, nu…. 30.3or ſwear an Oath to bind his ſoul with a bond, he ſhall not prophane his word, he ſhall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
Every oath and every promiſe engageth our faith, that is our fidelity, and ſo it is a bond upon our ſouls, and though it it be to our hinderance we muſt not break.
Remember how the breach of the oath of the Lord, made by Joſhua, and the elders of the people to the Gibeonites, ſmarted in the houſe of Saul.
Zedekiah had engaged himſelf by oath to Nebuchadnezzar, an heathen King, and brake, and rebelled againſt him: indeed, it was before the doctrine of Rome was afoot: Fides non eſt ſervanda cum haereticis, no faith to be kept with hereticks: But here the Prophet, Shall he eſcape that doth ſuch things? Or ſhall he break the Covenant and be delivered?Eze. 17 15
And after ſaith God:
As I live, ſurely mine oath that he hath deſpiſed, Ver. 19.and my Covevenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompence upon his own head: For he ſaid;
He deſpiſed the Oath by breaking the Covenant, (when lo, V…rſe 18.he had given his hand.)
A lawfull promiſe and oath hath three notes to juſtifie it.
Truth,
Righteouſneſs,
Judgement.Jer. 4.2.
1 In truth the heart joyning with the Author.
2 In righteouſneſſe ſeeking, Deo & proximo ſervire, ſerve God and our neighbour.
3 In judgement: it is deliberation and advice.
4 Doctr. God declareth his power ſometimes openly to the comfort of his Church, and the terrour of the enemies thereof, gathered from theſe words.
Thy Bow was quite naked: for as before there was abſcontio roboris, the hiding of his ſtrength, when God revealed himſelf to his Church onelyonly upon Mount Sinai, ſo there was now revelatio roboris, a revealing of his ſtrength; when he had made his Bow quite naked.
1 For the ſetling of his Church in obedience to him, Reaſ. 2 ſo ſaith the Pſalmiſt, after commemoration of the wonder: All works of God done for Iſrael.
That they might keep his ſtatutes, Pſ 1…5.45.and obſerve his Laws.
2 For the glory of his name, Reaſ. 2 that he might fill the mouthes of the faithfull with his praiſe, and this effect it wrought with Iſrael a while, for when God had done great things for them.
Then they ſang his praiſe.Pſ. 106.12.
3 For the credit of his Word, Reaſ. 3 that they might ſettle their faith in his promiſes, ſo it is there ſaid; Then they believed his Word.
4 To convince the ingratitude of men, Reaſ. 4 if they notwithſtanding the manifeſtation of his power to them, do ſtart aſide, and rebell againſt him; ſo doth the Pſalmiſt taxe them: where repeating the manifeſt and naked bow of God revealed to them, it is the burthen of his ſong. Yet they ſinned more againſt God by provoking the moſt High in the wilderneſſe: he repeateth more of his great works,Pſa 78 17. and addeth;
For all this they ſinned ſtill, and believed not, for all his wondrous works: he repeateth more, and ſaith,
Yet they tempted and provoked the moſt high God, and kept not his teſtimony, &c.
5 To inſtruct poſterity that ſhould ſucceed them. Reaſ. 5
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which ſhould be borne, Pſa. 78 6.who ſhould ariſe and declare them to their children.
That they might ſet their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his Commandements. This is the way to keep the bow of God ſtill naked, that all the ends of the world may ſee the ſalvation of our God.
God layeth his Bow quite naked in the ſight of the world, that the Egyptians may ſee that God fighteth for Iſrael againſt them, and may fly from them, that the world may ſee that all their conſultations againſt the Church ſhall faile of ſucceſſe, and it will turn to bitterneſſe in the latter end.
You may eaſily diſcerne how all this is directed to our inſtruction. Ʋſe.
To awake us to a conſideration of the revealed power of God, for if God ſhew it, it is, that we may ſee it, it was the cauſe of Iſraels ſo many rebellions.
For, whereas God did ſo great things for them,Pſ. 78.7. That they might not forget his works.
They forgate his works and his wonders that he hath ſhewed them; and that made them children of diſobedience.
To direct to the right uſe of this mercy of God, which is as you have heard.
1 In reſpect of God, to give him due praiſe, that he may have the honour due to his name.
2 In reſpect of our ſelves, to confirme our hope and faith in his word, and in the arm of his ſtrength, believing that bow, and the whole quiver of arrows belonging to it, is on our ſide, and we need not fear what man or Devil can do againſt us.
3 In reſpect of this life, that we paſſe the time of our dwelling here in fear, living in the obedience and ſervice of this Almighty Maker and preſerver of men, by keeping his ſtatutes, &c.
4 In reſpect of poſterity, that we leave them our good example, and the light of our knowledge to inſtruct them in the wonderfull works of God, that generation may praiſe him to generation and declare his power.
5 In reſpect of our enemies, that they may ſee and know whom we have truſted, and may know that our help is in the name of the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth: ſo that we ſhall not need to fear their bow, nor their arrows, upon the ſtring ready to goe off againſt us, there is a Bow on our ſide, and an arme to weild it.