Deborahs Prayer Against Gods Enemies, Text

Deborahs Prayer Against Gods Enemies · Text

p. 1DEBORAH'S Prayer againſt GODS Enemies, explaned and applyed.

JUDG. 5.31.

So let all thine Enemies periſh, O Lord: but let them that love him, be as the ſunne, when be goeth forth in his might, And the land had reſt forty years.

THE Text is the cloſe of good Deborah and Barak, The occaſion of the words.their Epinicion or Triumphall Song; ſung by them, in Prayer, unto the Lord, who had, now, victoriouſly made bare his own arme: in granting, by their (though but impotent) hands, a mighty deliverance, from the potent forces of Johin, King of Canaan; in the ſhamefull diſcomfiting of Siſera, his chiefe Captaine; and by the watery boſome of the river Kiſhon, (that ancient river, the river Kiſhon) ſweeping his numerous Army, as ſo many graſſehoppers, from the Earth: It was I ſay, the cloſe of their ſong, upon that occaſion; p. 2and may now ſeaſonably be reſumed into our mouths …his day; which (as of old, the daies of Purim, that in the time of Mordecai and Queen Eſter were turned unto the Jewes, from ſorrow to joy, and from mourning into good daies, Eſt. 9.22.26.) we juſtly ſolemnize and make feſtivall: For as then to quench the thirſt of a cruell ambition, rivers full of blood ſtreaming from the gaſhed veynes of innumerable Innocents, were deſigned to be cut out through the very fleſh and throats of Gods peculiar people: ſo was there as up n this day, a Tophet ordained and prepared for us and for our King, it was (to borrow the expreſſion of the Prophet Iſ. 30.33.) mad deep and large, the pile thereof was fire and much wood: only, the breath of the Lord (which had tofore blowne upon the curſed project of that Luciferian Haman) would not, as a ſtream of brimſtone enkindle it: ſo that, that very miſchievous deviſe which they indeed (to ſpeak with theaaPſal. 21.11.Ps 21:11 Pſalmiſt) [imagined] and intended againſt us, but were not able to [perform,] was then returned on their own pates: and, as the ſtory tells us of Mixentius, who was firſt drown'd himſelfe, from that bridge of mouldring, leaking boates, from which he hoped the Chriſtian Emperour Conſtantine ſhould have miſcarried; Loe! in the verybbPſal. 9.15, 16.Ps 9:15Ps 9:16 ſame net, was their own foot taken.

Who doubts, but, as of old, the too-unwary Benjimites, looking back behinde them to their Citty Gibeab, Jud. 20.40. thoſe cruell Pioners meant to feed t…eir eyes with the joyfull ſpectacle of thoſe flames, which with a pillar of ſmoak, aſcended up to Heaven, from our great Metropolis yea, to ſurfet on the goodly proſpect of thoſe mangled carkaſſes of Heretiques, who, as that Angel of Manoah, Judg. 13.20. in the flame of the altar, were by a cracke of Helliſh thunder, mounted up to Heaven afore the Reſurrection; and p. 3preferred thither, as ſome new companions to Elias, in acc2 King. 2.11.2 Kgs 2:11 fiery Chariot?

But, as Deborah obſerved, in an Irony of the impatience of the braving mother of Siſera, that looked before the victory, out at a window, to view the pompe of his approach, Judg. 5.28. ſaying, Why is his Chariot ſo long in comming? Why tarry the wheels of his Chariots? have they not ſped? have they not divided the prey? to every man, a Damoſell or two? to Siſera, a prey of divers colours; a prey of divers colours of needle worke, of divers colours of needle worke, on both ſides, meete for the neckes of them that take the ſpoile? Alas, alas! Fond Atheiſts, what Caſtles of crazy hopes had they now ſet up in the ayre? What ſilly Nimrods were theſe, to build up Towers of expectation, that cannot but (being againſt God) proveddGen. 11.5 9.Gen 11:5 Babels and their ſure confuſion? beſotted Hamans, mounting up gibbets no leſſe than fifty cubits high, to break theireeEſter. 7.9, 10. own necks! Behold, Siſera that great terror of Iſrael, who brought ſo many hundred thouſands into the field, had (ere this vain brag of theirs) quit his Chariot, and betaken him to his heels; and thoſe heels poſted him to the Tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; and at her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down; at the feet of a woman, (a weak inſtrument) he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell down dead: Loe! there lay this proud wormesmeat ſprawling with his head faſtened to the ground, as if it had been now liſtning what was become of the Soule: againſt the hammer of a feeble woman, was this guilded pot-ſheard of the earth not crackt, but broken: In ſhort, he who was pleaſed to ſtile himſelfe, the mightyffPſal. 24.6.Ps 24:6 God of Jacob, that God of Iſrael, who neitherggPſal 121.4.Ps 121:4 ſlumbered nor ſlept in the dangers of his choſenhhPſal. 135.4.Ps 135:4 treaſure; this Lord of Hoaſts, ſitting above in Heaven,iiPſal. 2.4.Ps 2:4 laughed all his enemies to ſcorn; p. 4and when their hopes, like …o the ſins of the Amorite, were ripe andkkGen. 15.16.Gen 15:16 full, the Lord, he had them in deriſion, and by the hands of the weaker ſex, levelled the magnificence of a daring Champion with the duſt: Then Jael (ſaith the Text, Judg 4.21.) Hebers wife tooke a nayle of the tent, an took an hammer in her hand, and went ſoftly unto him, and ſmote the nayle into his temples, and faſtened it into the ground; (for he was faſt aſleep and weary.) See here, no …ne circumſtance about his overthrow is left …ut, So he died: And even ſo, ſaith good Deborah the Proph…teſſe in my Text, So let all thine Enemies periſh, O Lord: but let them that leve him, be as the ſunne, when he goeth forth in his might.

And thus have yee ſeen the occaſion of theſe words, in which (as to my obſervation they occurre) wee have two principall parts, commended to our notice.The diviſion.

I. An Imprecation upon Gods Enemies; So let all thine enemies periſh, O Lord.

II. An Apprecation, or an obteſtation of good, upon his friends; But let them that love him, be as the ſunne, &c.

In the former, we have theſe particulars.

1. The perſon implyed, thus praying againſt Gods enemies, Deborah a Propheteſſe, verſe the firſt.

2. The perſon unto whom ſhe directs her Prayer, The Lord.

3. The forme of her imprecation, Let.

4. The title ſhe gives thoſe, againſt whom ſhe prayes, God Enemies.

5. The univerſality or extent of her devotion, [all] thine enemies.

p. 56. The matter of her Imprecation, Let them all (periſh.)

7. The manner, after which ſhe deſires they may all periſh, So.

So let all thine enemies periſh, O Lord.

In the ſecond Generall, her Apprecation of good, we have.

I. The Perip…raſis of thoſe ſhe prayeth for, ſuch as love the Lord.

II. The Aſſimilation, or reſemblance, whereto ſhe ſuits their happineſſe, he ſunne; and to that ſunne, going forth and going forth in his might.

Theſe are the parts and heads of my diſcourſe: of as many of them, in their cue order, as the time ſhall allow: and firſt, by way of explication; and then of Application, by Gods aſſiſtance, and the wonted favour of your Chriſtian patience.

THE firſt particular, is the perſon, that here makes this Imprecation upon Gods enemies;Part. I. and ſhe is Deborah, a Propheteſſe and a Mother in Iſrael, Judg. 4.4. and 5.7. A circumſtance remarkeable, if we meditate the deplored eſtate of the Church in thoſe times; which (as we finde by the ſtory) were moſt forlorn and deſperate; For, nothing but Anarchy and Tumult now prevailed: And indeed in the whole face of that age, nought but botches and blains and ulcers could be diſcovered; which ſo univerſally became contagious, that all degrees of men were tainted; and the iſſue of them proved ſo dangerous, that from that one people then, is made good that Maxime in Policy; Its better to live, where nothing, hen where all things are lawfull: for now were thoſe dayes, Judg. 21.…. in which there was no King in Iſrael, but every man did that, which was [right] in his own eye: And what was that, which was then p. 6ſo [right] in their own eyes? Read but the ſtory, you ſhall dye your cheekes in graine and bluſh: Then it ſeemed right in the eyes of Micah, to make himſelfe Gods, or puppets of his own; and to keep a Levite to adore them, within his own private walls, Judg. 17. And if this ſeemed right to Micah, why not alſo unto others? ita, quot llB. Andrews p. 52. inter opera poſthuma; concion. Lat. in pſal. 144.10.familiae, tot Idolorum portenta nova, ſo that there were not more families, then new monſters of Idolatry: Then it ſeemed right in the eyes of the Danites, not onelyonly to pilfer from the private cloſets of Micah; but to depopulate and waſte whole Cities, as they did Laiſh, Judg. 18. Then the ſhameleſſe raviſhments of women as of the Levites Concubine, ſeemed right in the eyes of the men of Gibeah, Ju. 19. The ſtory abounds with particulars: all ſhewing the ſtate of thoſe dayes to be moſt loathſome and rufull: Lo yet and ſee, even in thoſe looſe and forlorne times there was a Deborah found out in Iſrael; a grave and godly matrone, fit to make a Propheteſſe, even Deborah the wife of Lapidoth: My note from hence is this;Obſerv. That in the barreneſt times of the Church, the Lord hath ever had ſome to feare him, and to ſtand up for his Truth. And this hath been found true,Proofe. in the experience of all ages: In the old World when a Deluge of iniquity, foregoing that of water, had overflowen the earth, and [all] fleſh had corrupted his way, Gen. 6.12. yet even then, God ſaw a righteous Noah before him; and that [emphatically] even in ſo vile a generation, Gen. 7.1. In the very Court of Pharaoh (that peerles prodigy of impenitence and obduration) there was found a fervant, who feared the word of the Lord, Exod. 9.20. ſo likewiſe, even in Nero's houſhold there was a Church, Phil. 4.22.. After this when Idolatry had like Naamans Leproſie overſpread the whole body of the Church; yet even then, God had left him ſeven p. 7thouſand in Iſrael, whoſe knees never bowed to Baal, and whoſe mourn neer kiſſed him 1 King. 19.18. In farther proceſſe of time, in the dayes of Herod the King of Judea (that leach which ſucked the blood of ſo many tender Innocents) there were found Zechary and E…izabeth, both righteous before God, Luk. 1.6. In ſhort, even under the rage of that wilde bore of the foreſt, Antichriſt himſelfe, Recel. 11.3. God had (as here in this ſtory Deborah and Barack) two witneſſes to ſtand up in his cauſe: And in thoſe firſt times of but blooming Chriſtianity, when the Hereſie of Arriu, in thoſe dayes, as that of the accurſed Socinians in theſe now, (overthrowing, blaſphemouſly, the divinity of Chriſt) like to that Peſtilence in King Davids time, ſpreading from Dan to Beerſheba, had infected the whole Chriſtian world, as S. Hierome acquaints us: yet then, God raiſed up the ſpirit of an undaunted Athanaſius; whoſe learned zeale backed by the countenance and favour of the Chriſtian Emperour Conſtantine; as theoo2 King. 2.21.2 Kgs 2:21 ſalt of Eliſha, healing the ſickly waters about Jericho; both affronted and put to ſilence the abettors of that horrid blaſphemy; and by his tears, as by the bleeding of a chaſte vine, cured the Leproſie of that tainted age: In a word, thoughppGildas, apud Epiſc. Uſher p. 68 c. 7. of the Iriſh Religion. Gildas (the ancienteſt and moſt authentique Hiſtorian, that we have) complained that the number of good men were ſo exceeding ſhort among the Britons in his time, in compariſon of the exorbitant ſons of Belial, who (as the Caterpillars ſometimes over Aegypt) prevailed ſofarre upon the Nation, that their Mother the Church, in a manner, did not [ſee] them, lying in her own lap; albeit they were the only [true] ſonnes, which ſhe then had: yet ſonnes ſhe had ſtill ſome, notwithſtanding, who, as ſome few ſolid grains of corne, were fanned from a world of chaffe, and eſteemed by the Lord, as the coſtlieſtrrMal. 3.17.Mal 3:17 Jewels p. 8and treaſure of hat age: Even as here in the corrupteſt condition of Iſrael, there was found out a godly Deborah to deliver the Church, and to ſing praiſes to the Lord Jehovah.

Nor need we wonder at the obſervation: Reaſon. conſidering the infallibility of the truth of that covenant and promiſe, which God hath made with his Church: to wit, That he would ſo plant his feare into her heart, that ſhe ſhould never utterly and finally depart away from him, Jer. 32.40. and that, he had ſo founded her upon a Rocke, as the gates of Hell ſhould never be able to prevaile againſt her, Math. 16.18. The phraſe of ſpeech is borrowed from the cuſtomes of thoſe dayes, when the Counſellors of a State or City, were wont to treat of the affaires of the Nation in the [gates] of their Cities; as we ſee, Ruth. 4.1. and the Periphraſis of ſuch a Counſellor, Pro. 31.23. and ſo of a ſimple man, on the contrary, it is ſaid, Pro. 24.7. He openeth not his mouth in the [gate]: ſo that by the gates of Hell, are meant the policies and ſubtill ſtratagems of Satan; though they were ſuch as had been by him and his agents, plotted and conſulted of in the privieſt Counſell-chamber (if ſo I may ſpeak) of Hell it ſelfe; yet ſhall they never be able to prevaile,Matth. 7.25.Matt 7:25 irrecoverably to hurt the Church; no more then thoſe billows in the Ocean doe upon the Rocks, which return them back in froth without annoyance: yea, ſaith that famous Champion of it, the greatttAthanaſius orat. foreign: confer. Arch B. Vſher, c. 6, ſ. 6.7, 8, &c.p. 147. De ſucceſſ. Eccleſ. Chriſt. Athanaſius, foreign. &c. The Church of Chriſt ſhall remaine, as mount Sion uuPſal. 1.25.1.Ps 1:25Ps 1:1, immoveable; though hell her ſelfe and all the powers thereof be moved againſt it: Behold, as ſoon ſhall the ſmoake be able (though it make a deally ſmother in the chimney-top) to blot out the Sunne, and to ſtifle up the ayre, for ever; as all the violence of Hell, univerſally to extinguiſh the p. 9truth or Church; Pſalm. 89.33. and John 10.29.

And this meditation ſhould me thinks, Ʋſe. as Job ſaith God doth to the Sea, ſetuuJob. 38.10.Job 38:10 doores and bars to the furiousxxLuk 6.11.Luke 6:11 madnes of the Enemies of Gods Church; in whoſe heart it is, as Eſay ſaith of Aſhur, toyyIſa 10.7.Isa 10:7 deſtroy and to cut off Nations, not a few: When, alas! as ſoon ſhall the Earth become a Starre, and darkneſſe light, as Godszz2 Tim. 2.19.2 Tim 2:19 foundation be overthrown: Wee read in the ſecond Pſalme, that the Heathen made a mighty tumult, raged furiouſly: and as that fly (in the Fable) upon the Axle-tree imagined, that they had raiſed a ſmothering duſt, enough to put out the very eyes of Chriſts Kingdome; and as for the bonds of ſubjection to his Goſpell; look, as Sampſon did hisaaJudg. 16.9.Judg 16:9 withs, they will breake them all, forſooth, in ſunder, and caſt away the cords thereof from them: compare alſo, Pſalm. 83. But what of all this? alas! ſaith David, all this was but to imagine abbPſal 2.7.Ps 2:7 [vaine] thing; 'twas but as if theccIſa. 64.8.Isa 64:8 Clay had contended with the Potter; or a Pigmy ſtrugled with a Crane: For behold! maugre all oppoſition, yet have I ſet up Chriſt my King, ſaith God, upon my holy hill of Sion.

Thoſe Neroes, Domitians, Diocletians, and Maximians (the bloody tyrants of the Primitive times) can witneſſe this; who having made ready theddPſal. 11.2.Ps 11:2 arrow upon the ſtring and prepared theeePſal. 7.13.Ps 7:13 inſtruments of cr…ell death; yea even before-hand ſounded the Triumph and engraven the Victory over the very [ffAs of old Pſal. 83.4.Ps 83:4 …] of Chriſtianity, upon pillars of Marble with this inſcription; Nomine Chriſtianorum deleto, qui Rempuhl. evertebant: but all this bragge of theirs was but as a blaze, before their laſt light went out, … ſome bulging wall, that was ſwollen immediately before it fell; For, what was all that innocent blood of Martyrs, which they ſo violently ſpilt, but asggTertul. in Apo … banguis eſt ſ…nen Chriſtianoram Tertullian p. 10ſaith the very ſeed to ſow GodshhPſal. 80.15.Ps 80:15 Vinyard, the Church, withall? in which for one true Catholique Saint cut off, many hundred ſprang up afreſh: this Palme-tree, the more it was preſſed, the higher it grew; that Iſrael, the more oppreſſed, the more theyiiExod. 1.12.Exod 1:12 multiplied; and this Arke, the more 'twas toſſed on the billowes, the nigher it was advanced up to thekkGen. 8.4.Gen 8:4 Ararat of Heaven: In ſumme, when in the very laſt age of all, PopellSleidan. Comment. lib. 1. Leo, that tenth Lyon of Rome, roared upon the Church of God; and thought by his Anathema's thundred from his ſimonia call Conſiſtories, to have devoured it up as his Prey: or elſe as ſometimes thoſe Lyons did upon Daniel, to havemmDan. 6.22.Dan 6:22 fawned, by his abuſed indulgencies, upon ſimple ignorants; and ſo to have lurched the Patrimony of deluded ſoules into his own Checquer; When now the Church was (as thennCan. 6.10. Moone enveloped in a Cloud) ſeemingly inviſible, being all over-grown by the weeds of ſuperſtition; yet even then, God raiſed up a Luther, a man of an heroike ſpirit to muzle the jawes of that rampant Antichriſt; and to rectifie the ſeduced judgments and conſciences of wel-meaning, but miſ-guided Chriſtians: And he ſo farre prevailed againſt the errors of the Church of Rome, that (when nothing elſe would ſerve) he made a [Proteſtation] againſt them.

In the year 1529, April the ſixteenth (as Calviſius ſets it down in his Chronicle) there was a meeting of the States at Spira; when and where a Decree was made, by the (then) Popes Agents; that a late Edict at Worms againſt the Innovators, (ſo they ſtiled Luthers fraternity) the effect whereof was, that there ſhould be no ſuch Reformation at all made, as the Lutherans called for; but omnia in integrum reſtituerentur, every thing ſhould ſtand entire, as it did before; A decree, I ſay, was made, that that Edict ſhould be p. 11ſerved; Contra hoc edictum ſolennis fuit Proteſtatio, but againſt this Edict, there was a ſolemn Proteſtation: and from hence it was, that wee of the Reformed Churches, firſt took the name of Proteſtants; proteſting againſt thoſe abominable corruptions and ſuperſtitions; which both in the ancient, and pure [doctrine] of Chriſt, (contained in the writings of the Apoſtles) and alſo in that Diſcipline, which was appointed by the ſame Apoſtles, and practiſed in their times, and ever after, in the univerſall ſettled Church of Chriſt; I ſay, Proteſting againſt thoſe damnable corruptions which had overgrown, and almoſt quite poyſoned the world, and withall againſt the hinderance of that needfull Reformation intended; from hence wee tooke the Originall name of Proteſtants.

And hitherto we have (ſeemed) at leaſt to own the title: now then goe on andoo1 Cor. 16.13.1 Cor 16:13 quit your ſelves like men; withſtand all the rotten doctrine of Popiſh Innovators and Teachers, that boaſt much (as theppJoſh. 9.5.Josh 9:5 Gibeonites ſometime did of old ſhooes, and mouldy bread) of Antiquity; and dare obtrude upon the Conſciences of Gods people, their own humane Traditions, to be entertained (as themſelves determine, in their Trent Conventicle) withqqConcil-Trident. ſeſſ. 4 p. 8. vol. 8. [pari] pietatis affectu ac reverentiâ ſuſcipit, & veneratur. equall Faith and Credit, as God own ſacred and immediately inſpired unerring Scriptures are received; yea, not onelyonly ſo, but alſo introduce cuſtomes with a direct, Non obſtante, to Chriſts Goſpell: For ſo I finde expreſſely in therrConcil. Conſtantanno 1612. & Baſil. Councels of Conſtance and Baſil; Licet Chriſtus ſuis Diſcipulis adminiſtraverit ſub [utraque] panis, & vini ſpecie, venerabile hoc Sacramentum; tamen [hoc non obſtante] conſuetudo communionis, ſub [unâ] tantùm ſpecie, nunc pro Lege habenda eſt: That is, although Chriſt adminiſtred unto his Diſciples the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, under [both] kinds, p. 12of Bread and Wine; yet [this notwithſtanding,] now the cuſtome of receiving it onelyonly under [one] kinde, is to be had for a Law. In oppoſing them therefore, yee oppoſe errours damnable in their nature; and ſurely damning alſo in the iſſue, without amendement; yea, yee proteſt againſt the veryſſ1 Tim. 4.1.1 Tim 4:1 doctrine of Devils: Now then, be forttZeph. 1.5.Zeph 1:5 God, or for Baal; abhorre a Samaritan mongrell diſpoſition; a Laodicean uuRev. 3.16.Rev 3:16lukewarmnes; thisxx1 King. 18.21.1 Kgs 18:21 halting twixt two opinions; this ſwearing by God, and byyyZeph. 1.5.Zeph 1:5 Malcham too; thiszzExod. 12.39.Exod 12:39 dowbak'd lukewarm temper, God threatens toaaRev. 3.16.Rev 3:16 ſpue out as loathſome and with nauſeation from his preſence: In ſhort, is a man a Miniſter? and is his aime in Preaching, onelyonly by a vainglorious oſtentation of wit to pleaſebb1 Theſſ. 2.4.1 Thess 2:4 man; or to tickle thecc1 Tim. 4.3.1 Tim 4:3 itch of the wavering times; and not (without envy, withoutdd… Theſſ 2.5. ſoothing partiality) to declare the pure doctrine of Chriſt Jeſus, inee2 Cor. 2.17.2 Cor 2:17 ſyncerity; if this alone be his ſcope, let him goe on, diſſemble and rayle; but know the time ſhall come, when upon ſuch hollow, empty declamers, the Lord from out of Heaven ſhall powre ſcorn, 2 Tim. 3.9. and make them, even as theff1 Cor. 4.13.1 Cor 4:13 filth of the World, as the off-ſcowring of all things: ſuch rotten bottoms cannot long hold water. Is a man a Magiſtrate? art thou a common Chriſtian? dealeggProv. 10.9.Prov 10:9 uprightly, doe not play and dally with thy Conſcience in any of thine actions: Be the times never ſo vitious, never ſo various; bee not thou like a reedehhMatth. 11.7.Matt 11:7 ſhaken with the winde; be rather like to a Cube, firme to that ſtation, fixed to thy right refolutions, which way ſoever thou art caſt; imitating the pious example of Deborah in my text; who in the middeſt of raging anarchy, of prevailing enormities, remained as a nayleiiEzra. 9.8.Ezra 9:8 faſtened in a ſure place, ſtedfaſt to the Lord.

It is hard I confeſſe (though indeed it be a more noble p. 13Act of Chriſtianity) to uphold our ſelves in integrity, when the current of the times is againſt us: The Patriarchs themſelves were tranſported by the times in the buſines of their Polygamie; and Joſeph by long converſing in Pharaohs Court had learnt to ſweare at length by Pharaohs life, Gen. 42.16. And when all Aſia and the world ſhall worſhip the great goddeſſe Diana of the Epheſians; who but a Paul, durſt to cry down the Idolatry? Act. 19.27.

Beloved Chriſtians, we now live in the middeſt of allAct. 3.40.Acts 3:40 crooked and perverſe generation; and may daily diſcover ſome, of whom wee may ſay, as S. Paul did of Elymas the ſorcerer, Act. 13.10. they are full of all ſubtilty and all miſchief, enemies of all Righteouſnes, by their wrangling, and contentions, time-ſerving diſturbance, never ceaſing to pervert the ancient, right, and eſtabliſhed wayes of the Lord; Now therefore, under this ſo great a tryall ſhew your ſelves; nowmmMatth. 5.16.Matt 5:16 ſhine as Lights, furniſh your Lamps with oyle, andnnMatth. 25.7.Matt 25:7 trimme them up, that the light of your lives may ſo ſhine in the faces of the world, that it may dazle them whom it ſhall not guide: and ſith we have a copy ſo Peerles to write by (the very mirror of Chriſtian Princes,) who in a Letter (dated but the 18. day of the laſt monethmonth of October, 1641.) written with his own Hand, hath commanded it to be made known; that he will live and dye (by the grace of God) in the Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Church of England; as it was eſtabliſhed in the raigne of Queen Elizabeth, and his pious Father of bleſſed memory: we have his word for it, and as David to Mephiboſheth, I haveoo2 Sam. 19.29.2 Sam 19:29 ſaid it, ſaith the King, it is enough: Bleſſed Princel whom no Torrent of novelty can carry from the ancient wayes of truth: Let us all, as loyall Subjects, dye our practiſe into the ſame colour of Reſolution and Sanctity: God ſhall ſtill raiſe up friends unto us and p. 41proſper us;ppAct. 2.40.Acts 2:40 and even in the middeſt of a crooked and perverſe generation, we ſhall ſave our ſelves; like as good Deborah, in the middeſt of a tumultuous people, (even when there was [noqqJudg. 21.25.Judg 21:25 King] in Iſrael) was found out, (as ſome rich Diamond, or as ſome orient Ruby lying amongſt a thouſand peble ſtones, a fit Matron to make a worthy Propheteſſe in Iſrael.

And thus farre of the firſt particular circumſtance, in the text; The perſon implied, that here makes this Prayer againſt Gods enemies, ſaying, So let all thine enemies periſh, O Lord.

THE ſecond particular,Part. II. is the Perſon unto whom ſhe prayeth, To the Lord Jehovah; and this notes the Character of a gracious diſpoſition,Obſerv. in the height of the Churches oppeſſion by tyranny, ſtill to look up unto the Lord, for refuge and Protection, ſee Hoſ. 5.15.Proofe. Ten thouſands of people had ſet themſelves round about King David; Read D. King, pag. 53, 54, 55, &c. Lect. 4. on Jonah.now mark his behaviour; Ariſe O Lord, ſaith he, ſave me O my God; the reaſon is annexed, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: ſee Pſal. 17.13, 14. So Deut. 32.99. See now, that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me; I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heale, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand: and Iſa. 43.11. I, even I am the Lord, and beſides me there is no Saviour: upon which meditation the Pſalmiſt ſaid, that ſome put their truſt in Chariots and ſome in Horſes; but we will put our truſt in the Lord, Pſal. 20.7. The Horſe indeed is arrSee Bp. Hall ſerm-ſtyled the Impreſſe of God, ſer. 1. …nitio. warlike creature, full of terrour; ſo ſwift in ſervice that the Perſians (as Pauſanias hath it) dedicated him unto their God, the Sunne, foreign, as the ſwifteſt creature, to the ſwifteſtttHeliodor. Aethiopic. Hiſt. lib. 10. conſer. Selden, de diis Syris, ſyntag. 2. … Scimus ſolem adoratum fuiſſe â Perſis. Calvin. lib. 1. c. 11. ſect. 1. God; out of his noſtrils (to uſe p. 15Jobs expreſſion, 41.20.) goeth a ſmoake, as out of a ſeething Pot or Cauldron, whoſe eyes are like the eye lids of the morning, he laugheth at the ſhaking of a ſpeare, in his neck remaineth ſtrength; he eſteemeth iron as ſtraw, and braſſe as rotten wood; But, alas! ſaith that great warriour of the Lord of Hoaſts, Pſal. 33.17. an Horſe is a [vain] thing for ſafety, nor ſhall he deliver any by his great ſtrength; yea God himſelfe ſaith, that he delighteth not in the ſtrength of an Horſe, Pſal. 147.10. The Horſe indeed may be prepared againſt the day of Battell, but ſafety is of the Lord alone, Prov. 21.31. O our God, ſaith diſtreſſed Jehoſhaphat, we know not what to doe, but our eyes are upon thee, 2 Chron. 20.12. Through God therefore onelyonly, we ſhall doe valiantly; for he it is, that ſhall tread down our Enemies, Pſal. 108.13. In ſhort, it is [He] that giveth Salvation unto Kings, Pſal. 144.10. The Lord is their ſtrength, and he is the [ſaving] ſtrength of his anoynted, Pſal. 28.8. For, as that great Image in Daniel may teach us, even all Empires themſelves ſtand but upon feet of Clay, and muſt ſoon totter, except the Lord ſupport them, Dan. 2.33.

Now the ground, why the hearts of the Righteous truſt in the Lord to bee helped, is this meditation; namely, for that he is as a man of War, throughly accompliſhed and furniſhed with all things fit for a Victor; and one to bee with full aſſurance relyed on.

There are foure principall things, that are the motives of Confidence in any, whom a diſcreet man would dare to truſt,Foure principall grounds of confidence in God. for the ſure performance of any favour.

1. Wiſdome.

2. Power.

3. Goodneſſe.

4. Faithfulneſſe.

p. 16Firſt, Wiſdome to contrive waies and means, how to become a reall Benefactor. Secondly, Power to bee able to performe, what is wiſely projected. Thirdly, a propenſion, and an inclination to make uſe of both the former, for the advantage of him, that truſts in him. Fourthly, faithfulneſſe, ſo that a man may reſt ſecurely for the diſcharge of all the former, for his benefit. Now all theſe are eminent in the Lord.

For the firſt, Wiſdome, it is ſo in him, that all the policies in the world are, in compariſon, direct fooliſhnes and meer vanity, 1 Cor. 3.19, 20. yea, ſo vain, that he taketh the wiſe in their own craftineſſe, that is, ſuch as are wiſe either in their own conceits, or elſe wiſe, foreign, in the eſteem of worldly-wiſe men; alas! ſaith Job 5.11. The Lord diſappointeth the devices of the crafty, ſo that their hands cannot performe their enterpriſe; and indeed all worldly wiſdome is rather craft & guile, or ſubtilty then true wiſdom; and when the Lord ſhall blow upon it, it is all ſoone blaſted into ſottiſhuuRom. 1.22.Rom 1:22 infatuation. An example of this we have in Achitopbel; whoſe Counſell, in his daies was, ſaith the Scripture, as if a man had enquired at thexx2 Sam. 16.23.2 Sam 16:23 Oracle of God; and yet the Lord defeated the Counſell even of Achitophel himſelfe, and turned it into folly, 2 Sam. 17.14. and 15.31. So alſo was the plot of the Jewes againſt Saint Paul diſappointed, Act. 23.16, 23. For ſaith Salomon, there is no wiſdome, nor underſtanding, nor Counſell againſt the Lord, Prov. 21.30. And who indeed is able, by all his lines and plummers to fathom, or found the bottome of Gods all-diſcerning Ey-ſight, both to fore-ſee the danger of his people and to prevent it? His wayes of deliverance are manyyyHaber Dominus m…lle… aries, …nſ…a…t as vias yea innumerable; and all of themzz…om. 11.33. paſt findding out; and (till the event declares them) nor to ad ſuos liberandos, Peter Martyr, Epiſt. Calvin. pag. 1124. p. 17be known by ſo ſhallow an apprehenſion as mans is.

Secondly, For power he is ſuch, as no creature is able tozzRom. 9.19.Rom 9:19 reſiſt; therefore ſaith the Prophet, who is ſoaaPſal. 77.13.Ps 77:13 great a God as our God? even our God, who is mighty inbbPſal. 24.8.Ps 24:8 Battell; whoſe veryccPſal. 29.5.Ps 29:5 voyce, in his thundering and lightnings, in ſtorms and Tempeſts, ſhaketh all the Cedars in Lebanon; whoſe very lookes dry up the depths, and whoſe indignation maketh the mountains to melt away: In ſhort, he is [able] ſaith the great Apoſtle, Epheſ. 3.20. to doe abundantly more then we can think; Nor is this power momentany or flitting; no, ſaith the Prophet, Iſi. 26.4. In the Lord Jehovah is [everlaſting] ſtrength: He is alone El-chaddai, the ſtrong and al-ſufficient God: Examples are endleſſe; ſee a few; ſome ſhewing how the Lord makesffIſa. 52.10.Isa 52:10 bare his own arme, and getteth [ggPſal. 98.1.Ps 98:1 himſelfe] the victory [himſelfe] as if he ſtood in need of none, no not of the meaneſt ayd; and therefore is Chriſts victory expreſſed by treading of a winepreſſe [alone], Iſa. 63.1.6. When there are none to help; when the Church is brought to ſoreſt extremities and greateſt improbabilities of being ſaved; yet (ſaith one) though multitudes meet againſt her, as many as Grapes in a Vintage, they ſhall all be, but as ſo many cluſters of Grapes; He ſhall ſqueeze out their blood like Wine, and make his Church to thaſh them. And this he doth ſometimes extraordinarily, to ſhew himſelf the immediate author of the deliverance; as when he diſcomfited the Hoaſt of the the Syrians by a noyſe of Horſes and Chariots of fire, 2 King. 6.17. and 7.6. as there was ahhEuſeb. l. 3. c. 8. voyce heard in the Temple, before the deſtruction of Hieruſalem; not more (in likelihood) to warn the faithful to depart the City, than to terrifie the lewd inhabitants: The ſtory of our own Henry the fifth, againſt the numerous p. 18Frenchmen, (who thought to have even crowded them to death) is more known than to need relation: Under the conduct of Germanus, (here in Britain) who came over from France to ſubdue the Pelagian hereſie, (which then prevailed amongſt us) againſt a mighty army of Saxons and Picts; the Britons prevailed onelyonly by the three times pronouncing the word Hallelujah, which voice ecchoing & redoubling from the Acclamation of his followers among the Mountains, nigh to which the Enemie had encamped, frighted them and won the Conqueſt; upon which it was callediiVide Archiepiſ. Uſſerium, lib. de Britan. eccleſ. primordiis p. 332, 333. &c. Victoria Hallelujatica; and the ſtory telleth us, Triumphant Pontifices, boſtibus fuſis ſine fanguine, triumphant victoriâ fide obtentâ, non [viribus;] The joy was in a victory gotten without blood-ſhed, and that by Faith, not by force. Sometimes againe, the ſenſes of the Enemies are deluded; as the Moabites ſeeing the ſunne ſhining upon the water flowing [happily] upon red earth, had their eyes dazled, and ſo ranne upon their unthought-off deſtruction, 2 King. 3.22, 23. And ſo alſo he made way to his indignation upon Pharaoh and the Aegyptians, by rowling up the waters into an heap, till they were all run full on, into the very gulfe of deſtruction, Exod. 14.

Sometimes againe ordinarily; but by [weake] means: Thus Zerah the Ethiopian, with his Hoaſt of a thouſand thouſand, was overthrown by a handfull of King Aſa; for it is nothing with the Lord, to help whether with many, or with them that have no power 2 Ch. 14.11. And Gideon only with three hundred men, and a with few empty pitchers and blinking Lamps, undid the Midianites; though they lay as Graſſe-hoppers, upon the valley of Morch Judg. 7.7.20. the reaſon is, verſe the ſecond; Leſt Iſrael vaunt themſelves againſt me, ſaith the Lord, ſaying, Mine [own] hand hath ſaved me: So David (a young ſtripling) goeth p. 19forth againſt the huge monſter Goliah; and with nought but a ſling and a ſmooth ſtone, ſmote that dread of Iſrael, that he felldown like to ankkPro. 7.22.Prov 7:22 Oxe fatted for the ſlaughter, at the feet even of a tender ſtripling, 1 Sam. 17. So the wals of Jericho were thrown down with the blaſt of Rams-horns, Joſh. 6.20. to ſee wals that ſeemed to challenge by their height, an equipage with the Stars of Heaven; a man would imagine, no warlike engine of the moſt martiall oſtentation, enough to batter them; but behold! that God may have the glory of ſo great a downfall, onelyonly a ſeven daies walk about them, with the ſound not of any ſilver ſhrill trumpets, but onelyonly of Rams-horns; inſtruments baſe for the matter, and not loud for the ſound; this muſt doe the buſineſſe; for the Lord, when he will compaſſe an overthrow, makesllB…. Hall, Contemplat. of the ſiege of Jericho. weakneſſe no diſadvantage; and very mean and homely are thoſe means which God commonly uſeth in his moſt glorious works, At other times again, by ordring caſualties and particular emergencies, for the deliverance of his Church; a thing conſpicuous in the Hiſtories of Joſeph & Eeſter; in which book of Eeſter, though the name neither of [God] nor [Lord] be found at all; yet, in no Scripture is there ſet down more wonderfull, and remarkable paſſages, and acts of Gods immediate providence for his calamitous people; So that as a man by a Chaine made up of ſeverall links ſome of Gold, others, of ſilvers; ſome of Braſſe, Iron, or Tin, may be drawn out of a Pit: ſo the Lord, (ſaith anmmMr. Edward Reynolds, on Pſ. 110. ver. 5.6. p. 499.Ps 110:5Ps 110:6 eminent Divine, of this age) by the concurrence of ſeverall ſubordinate things, which have no manner of dependance, or naturall coincidency among themſelves, hath oftentimes wrought the deliverance of his Church; that it might appeare to be the worke of his own hand. In ſhort, God partly by defeating the deviſes of the crafty; p. 20partly by reſtrayning the power, or over-ruling the malice of the wicked,nnJud 6. confer. D. King p. 56. Lect. 4. on Jonah.Judg 6 chayning up even Satan himſelfe; by theſe and a thouſand other wayes, the Lord declareth his power, to be more [for] his Church, then all the Enemies thereof can be [againſt] it: and therefore after Deborahs example here, becauſe of that his [power,] he is chiefly to be ſought unto, in the time of danger.

Thirdly, for Gods goodneſſe and readineſſe to relieve the wants of his children; it flowes naturally from the bowels of his innate compaſſions and moſt render loving kindeneſſe; therefore, Luke. 1.78. old Zachary calls them, foreign: thus when his embondaged people groaned under their Aegyptian burthens, the Lord [looked] upon them, and ſoon eaſed [them] of their ſighings, and [ooIſa. 1.24.Isa 1:24 himſelfe] of his adverſaries; Exod. 2.23, 24, 25. ſee Pſal. 103.8, 9 Mic. 7.19.

Laſtly, for fidelity and faithfulneſſe; heare Truth it ſelfe to ſpeak, Matth. 5.48 the whole creation ſhall as ſoone faile, as the leaſt iota of Gods word faile of accompliſhment: yea, in compariſon of God, every even of the trueſt men is a direct Lyer, Rom. 3.3. For, it is an impoſſibility, that God ſhould ly, Heb. 6.18. or deny himſelfe, being truth it ſelfe, 2 Tim. 2.13. As for [man] indeed, wherein is he to beppIſa. 2.22.Isa 2:22 accounted of? whoſe breath is in his Noſtrils: whoſe fidelity and favour, like to the reeds of Aegypt may not faile us only, but run into our hands and hurt us? 2 King. 18.21. ſee Pſal. 12.1. and Prov. 2….19. Confidence in an unfaithfull friend in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joynt: For, as there is no truſting to a broken tooth for feeding, nor to alame leg for ſpeedy journeying, no more firme confidence is there to be placed in a wa…ering, yeelding, unfaithfull friendſhip: Now in God, his fidelity is like himſelfe.qqMa…. 3.6. Jam. 1.17.Jas 1:17 p. 21unchangeable; therefore, David in the experience of it, calleth him ſo often, his Rock, his fortreſſe, his Tower of defence, &c. conferre Pſal. 28.7, 8. and Heb. 10.23. No marvell then is it, that good Deborah in the diſtreſſe of the Church, ſeeks to Jehovah, to undoe its Enemies: ſhe might happily, remember [that] of the Lord to Moſes; being now about to deliver by his hands, his Iſrael from thraldome, Exod. 6.3. Note the place, I appeared unto Abraham, (ſaith God) unto Iſaac and unto Jacob, by the name of God Al mighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them: Queſt. How expound we this Scripture? was not God knowne to the Patriarchs before the daies of Moſes, by the name Jehovah? we finde it expreſſely mentioned, Gen. 157.28. & 13. and 26.25. Anſw. For anſwer, ourrrLyra & Junius ad Exod. 6 3. & Zanch. de Natura Dei, cap. 13. lib. 1. ſect. 34. &c. & Eſtius, in lib. 1. ſent. Diſt. 8. ſect. 2. Referendum hoc eſt, non ad ſignificationem vocabulorum; ſed ad declarationem rerum ſignificatarum, &c. id. ibid.Exod 6:3 modern Divines do jointly reſolve the meaning, to be underſtood of the actuall performance of thoſe promiſes, by a reall exhibition; which the Patriarchs and faithfull, did reſt [before] in expectation of, touching Iſraels deliverance from bondage out of Aegypt; their faith and hope being grounded upon his Name, foreign, [almighty] Gen. 17.1. For both in the Creation of the world, and in the deſtroying of the ſame againe by water, and withall by beſtowing many Gifts upon them; he had ſhewed himſelfe to be God [all-ſufficient] to doe, whatſoever he promiſed; but now hee would manifeſt himſelfe to be foreign, Jehovah, in giving a conſtant [being] unto the [performance] of of his old promiſe; even as verily as he gave his own eternall, and immutable Eſſence and Subſiſtence unto him elſe; therefore King David, after an actuall overthrow of Gods Enemies, cryes out, Pſal. 68.4. Extoll him that rideth upon the Heavens, by his name [Jah] and rejoyce before him: And the Prophereſſe in this place, recounting happily, the known acts of p. 22Jehovah, in the miraculous overthrow of his Enemies; and in the wonderfull reſcues of his people, ſeen (even then) in the ruine of the King of Canaan and of Siſera his chiefe Captaine; ſhe makes her addreſſe, for the utter Conſumption of all the reſt of the Lords Enemies, (not as Baals Prieſts,ff1 King 18.28. See D. King, p. 73. Lect. 5. on Jonab.1 Kgs 18:28 cutting themſelves with lancers and howling upon falſe gods, nor as ſome doltiſh Romaniſts, chattering unto ſome Saint) ſhe flyeth, I ſay, unto no arme of fleſh, or Idol; but only, and in the firſt place, unto the Lord Jehovah; ſaying, So let all thine Enemies periſh [O Lord.] Ʋſe.

And what better uſe can we make of this paſſage, than to follow her ſteps herein? for in vaine, ſhall we imagine withttSueton. in Tiberio. Tiberius, that Omnia fato, all things are ſwayed by inevitable fate and deſtiny; or that Salvation is to be hoped for, fromuuPſal. 33.16.Ps 33:16 multitude; or, from the**Jer. 3.23.Jer 3:23 Hills, if the Lord be againſt us: For, though we be as Noe, (that is,xxJunius ad cap. 3. Nah ver. 8. Alexandria in Aegypt) a [populous] Nation, ſituate among the rivers, with ramparts and wals from the Sea, asrrNah. 8.9. Nahum expreſſeth it, and were our ſtrength as infinite; yet if God ſay to us now, as he did unto her then, Nah. 3.5. Behold, [I] am againſt thee, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts; even we, as well as ſhee, may be carried away, and goe into captivity, ver. 10, If God be [for**Read Iſa. 41.10.11, 12, &c. Horat.Isa 41:10Isa 41:11Isa 41:12] us, who can be [againſt] us? Rom 8.31. Fractus licèt illabatur orbis, impavidos ferient ruina; zzPſal. 144.15.Ps 144:15Happy are the people, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, that are in ſuch a caſe; yea happy is that people whoſe God is the Lord, Pſal. 144.15. in [this] condition, we will not feare whataaPſal. 56.11.Ps 56:11 Man can doe unto us; But if God be [againſt] us, who can be for us? What power, what ſtrength availe us? I conclude this point therefore, with that experienced Prophet, Pſal. 73.28. It is good for us, to draw neer unto God, &c. And thus farre alſo of the p. 23ſecond particular, namely, The Perſon unto whom ſhe, the Propheteſſe Deborah, in the text directeth her Prayer againſt Gods Enemies, unto the Lord Jehovah; ſaying, So let all thine Enemies periſh [O Lord.]

THE next particular is, the forme of her Imprecation,Part. III. Let; So [let] all thine Enemies periſh O Lord: Where the quere fals in, Queſt. Whether it be lawfull to pray againſt our Enemies, or not; ſith our Saviour ſeems expreſſely to enjoyn the contrary, Matth. 5.43, 44. Yee have heard, that it hath been ſaid, ſaith Chriſt, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour, and [hate thine Enemy;] but I ſay unto you, love your Enemies, bleſſe them that curſe you, doe good to them that hate you; yea pray for them that deſpightfully uſe you and perſecute you? The reſolution hereunto ſhall be ſhort; Anſw. and that which the Schoolemen have herein acutely framed us; Firſt then the words [Thou ſhalt hate thine Enemy] are no where found in all the whole Law; but were crept into the mouths of the vulgar, from ſome additionall and falſe gloſſe of the Jewes; who becauſe the love of the brother or friend was comman ded, concluded abſurdly, therfore that the hatred of the Enemy was not forbidden; But if yee obſerve it, Chriſt doth not ſay, Yee have [known] that it hath been writen but only, Yee have heard, that it hath been ſaid; for 't was a meer Tradition of their corrupt Rabbins; no fundamentall or ſound warrant of truth at all: And for anſwer to the queſtion; wee muſt asbbDurand. in lib. 3. ſent. Diſt 30. queſt. in fine. H. — & Bonavent. 3. ſent. Diſt. 30. & Nicol, de Orbellis in eund. lib. & Thom. 2. a. 2 ae. queſt 25. Art. 8. & Raynerius de Piſis, tom. 1. Pantheolog. cap. De Inimicis, p. 1160, 1161. Durandus with the full Chorus of the Schoolmen adviſe us, diſtinguiſh of, and conſider an Enemy, two waies, firſt Formally, ſecondly Materially. Firſt, formally, as an Enemy; Secondly, materially, as a man made after the Image of God: In the firſt ſenſe, p. 24we are not bound to love an Enemy, [as] an Enemy; that is, as one whoſe Evill of ſinne is both odious in it ſelf, and alſo unto God; and ſo by conſequence ſhould be unto us; for this [vice] of his, which occaſions enmity, is contrary unto right and divine Charity: But ſecondly, as this Enemy hath in him materially a compartnerſhip of the ſame [nature] of humanity with our ſelves; ſo we are bound, Firſt, In Ʋniverſali, in the Generall, to wiſh him well; Secondly, Yea in particulari, in ſpeciall alſo, in caſe ofcc… perfecti… … Articulo amare Alexander. Peſantius, comment in Tho. 2 a. 2. c. qu. 25. Art. 8. neceſſity, in temporall things to doe him good, Rom. 12.20, we may by ſo doing heape up coals of fire upon his head, that is, as Aquinas interprets it, enkindle ſome motions, or warmth of charity in him; his wickedneſſe being won to Piety, by the offices of love; Yea more yet, offices of good even inddScilicetin praeparationeantum, Thomas, libi ſupra; in cerſ. & Pet. La …hard. l. 3. diſt. 29. G. diligamus, inquit, mimices [lacrandus] reg…o Dei. Spirituall things may not be denyed; ſuch aseeMat. 5.44. pro omnibus immicis quantum vis perverſis orandum eſt, niſi conſtiterit cos eſſe in peccato mortali [ſinaliter] Alex. Hales part. 3. quaeſt. 59 mem. 5. Art. 7.Matt 5:44 Prayer for his converſion, perſwſiaons unto uſe of the means of grace, &c. he having a nature capable, equally with our ſelves of happineſſe: Thus we finde Saint Stephen, the Proto-Martyr of the Goſpell, praying for his perſecutors, Act. 7.60. ſaying, Lord lay not this ſinne to their charge; and by that devotion he obtained, not their pardon only, but felicity; whence was occaſioned that known ſaying of the Father; ſi Martyr Stephanus non ſic orâſſet, Eccleſia Paulum non habuiſset; If the Martyr Saint Stephen had not ſo prayed, the Church had not had Saint Paul for a Convert. Queſt. 2 But the Truth is, the more oppoſite queſtion that this text occaſions, is, touching imprecations upon, or prayers againſt [Gods] Enemies, not our [own], for ſo the text, So let all (thine) Enemies periſh, O Lord: And the reſolution is, Anſw. ſuccinctly, this: That for our owne Perſonall enemies, we muſt remember the diſtinction of a threefold remiſſion or forgiveneſſe; 1. The one is called, Remiſſio judicii; a man may and muſt p. 25ſenſibly underſtand, and apprehend an injury; for an injury being an affliction, God will have us take notice of his ſtrokes and heare his rod, who hath appointed it, Mic. 6.9. Jer. 5.3. 2. Remiſſio ſatisfactionis, when the wrong done us from an Enemy, exceeds the guilt of the injured ſo farre, that the ſcandall accruing by it, extendeth to a publique notice; and the endangering of our credit, whether for good name, eſtate, or perhaps, Religion; in this caſe, the Law is open, the matter may be empleaded, Act. 19.38. 3. Remiſſio Vindictae, the forgivenes of revenge; and this is abſolutely required; [**Heb. 10.10.Heb 10:10 Vengeance] is only Gods alone to repay, and to him we muſt leave it, Rom. 12.19. and therefore King David (that Map of wrongs) was wont to [pray] for ſuch Enemies, Pſal. 35.13. But now, if the Enemies be more than Perſonall and private, and prove publique, againſt [God] or elſe, therefore, [Reflexively] alone perſonall, that through our ſides the wicked might ſtrike at Gods honour; as the Pſalmiſt ſaith expreſſely, Pſal. 38.20. They are mine adverſaries, (ſee their motive) becauſe I follow the thing that good is: Loe! there is an Antipathy between the two ſeeds; the juſt, even becauſe he is juſt, is therefore as a ſhepheard was to an Aegyptian, an [ffGen. 46.34.Gen 46:34 abomination] to the wicked: In this caſe, as they are Gods Enemies, we may ſafely, with good Deborah here pray, That they may all periſh: Hence that of Jehu, the ſonne of Hanani the Seer unto Jehoſhaphat, Shouldeſt thou love them that hate the Lord? 2 Chron. 19.2. and David often, ſee Pſal. 139.20, 21, 22. Thine Enemies take thy name in vaine; Do not I hate them ô Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with thoſe that riſe up againſt thee? yea I hate them with perfect hatred, I count them mine Enemies: and Pſalme 109. throughout, ſee what volleys of imprecation he ſpendeth upon Gods Enemies: p. 26ſo we finde, that the Primitive Chriſtians had ſet prayers, againſt Julian the Apoſtate; and even hither may not impertinently be applyed that of our Savior, Lu. 14.26. where we are bidden to hate our very Parents for Chriſt, that is, whatſoever evill is in the neareſt or deareſt unto us, (it being againſt God) we muſt, though cheriſh the nature, yet abhorre the Vice.

Nor need we wonder at this zeal; Reaſon. becauſe as when the droſſe is purged from the ſilver, it is more bright: So when the wicked (profeſſedly ſuch) are cut off, the righteous, whoſe godlineſſe was beforehhMatth. 13.43.Matt 13:43 clowded, and who themſelves wereiiPſal. 83.3.Ps 83:3 hidden in ſome obſcurity; they have then an opportunity of appearing; and thatkkPſal. 112.4.Ps 112:4 light and gladneſſe, which wasllPſ. 97.11.Ps 97:11 ſowen for the righteous, nowmmPhil. 4.10.Phil 4:10 ſpringeth forth afreſh, and ſhines with glory, &c.

Wherefore, Ʋſe. I conclude the farther amplification upon this point, as David, Pſal. 7.9. O let the wickedneſſe of the wicked come to an end, but eſtabliſh the juſt: For the righteous God tryeth the hearts and reines.

FOllowes next the title here given to thoſe,Part. IV. ſhee prayeth againſt, Thine [Enemies:] Let all thine [Enemies] periſh, O Lord.

In another expreſſion, they are called, in both Teſtaments, the [haters] of the Lord: So by David, Pſ. 68.1. Pſal. 81.15. and in the New, by Saint Paul, Rom. 1.30. Haters of God; the greek word, is foreign: Theophylact ſaith, the phraſe hath a double acception, active and paſſive; it denoting both men hating God, Deioſores; and alſo men hated by God, Deo odibiles, as Primaſius renders it: Thus God is ſaid to hate, or to abhor the covetous, Pſal. 10.3. and to have hated Eſau, Rom. 9.13. implying the diſlike and deteſtation of the wicked, in reſpect of their ſinnes: But as Oecumenius, p. 27with S.uuS. Cyprian epiſt. 68. ſect. 10. Cyprian, (who reads it actively, abhorrentes Deo) and the beſt Moderns expound the place: the word is taken actively, of ſuch wicked, as doe hate God: becauſe asooBeza & Eſtius ad Rom. 1 30. & Adam Sasbout; It. Cajetan in Paraphrabid.Rom 1:30 Beza and EſTius give the reaſon; the purpoſe of Saint Paul is not to ſhew Gods affection of hatred towards the Gentiles; but the Gentiles foule enormities reſident in themſelves: therefore Beza criticizing gueſſeth, it ſhould bee accented probably in the greeke, foreign, not foreign.

Take we it then actively, it implyeth that hatred, which men carry to the Divine Majeſty; where Schoolmen uſually queſtion; Whether it be poſſible for a man to [hate] God, Quere. who is the chiefeſt good, and who alone hath in him all amiable excellencies? To which their anſwer is, that God apprehended in his Eſſence, or immanent actions, or gracious properties, being a father of mercies, and abounding in indulgence and pardon; thus he is not hated of any; Anſw. But as hee is apprehended under the notion of a Judge, as of a God cloathed with Majeſty and full of Power, able to avenge himſelfe in wrath, and fury, and indignation upon the children of diſobedience; in this conſideration, he is hated of ungodly men; So we finde, that the wicked cannot abide the very thought of God, Pſal. 10.4. and cannot endure his preſence; either in theppD. Sel. expoſit. on Rom. 1.30 p. 159.Rom 1:30 Heart by his Spirit, or in the Congregation by his Word; nor in his comming to Judgement, nor laſtly, (to the Death) any of the friends of God, or of ſuch as love him; Therefore the adverſaries of Gods (people) are called, the haters of [God] himſelfe, Pſal. 81.14, 15. Which ſenſe ſoever you take it in; if they be Gods Enemies, they ſhall be all asqqJob. 21.18.Job 21:18 ſtuble before arrHeb. 12.29.Heb 12:29 conſuming fire; and the Lord to eaſe himſelfe of his adverſaries, (whoſe iniquity he cannotſſHab. 1.13.Hab 1:13 ſee and like) ſhall ſet them as attLam. 3.12, 13.Lam 3:12Lam 3:13 Butt, and p. 28ſpend the arrowes of his ſore diſpleaſure upon them; they ſhall be ſure to periſh.

AND ſo I paſſe on unto my fift particular,Part. 5 & 6. which is the matter of Deborabs Imprecation, Let thine Enemies (periſh) O Lord: To which part, I will adde alſo that other, of the Extent of her devotion; Let (all) thine Enemies periſh. By [periſhing] is not here meant the utter annihilation of their eternall abſolute being, the very Eſſence of the Soule carryethuuMatth. 10.28.Matt 10:28 immortality in it: but only of their [well-being] or rather of their confuſion, before the preſent world; becauſe it is ſaid of Jabin and Siſera, that when they periſhed at Endor, they became as dung for the [earth,] Pſal. 83.9. So that our note from hence will be this, viz. To ſhew us the affectionate deſires of the Saints, for the Univerſall overthrow and extirpation of the wicked enemies of God,Obſer. and of his Church: Let them (all) periſh, O Lord.

As it was ſayd of Iſrael going out of Goſhen, that they left not ſomuch as an**Exod. 10.26.Exod 10:26 hoofe behinde them, ſo is it earneſtly wiſhed by the Saints, that not ſo much as one Agag, or onexx1 Sam. 15.3.1 Sam 15:3 Amalekite might be ſpared; no nor (if the Lord were pleaſed ſo to diſpoſe it) oneyyJoſh. 15.63. & 23.13. Prooſe.Josh 15:63Josh 23:13 Jebuſite left as a Relique in Canaan; To this purpoſe, he who long experimented the uſances of ſuch enemies, hath expreſſed himſelf, Pſal. 104.35. Let the ſinners be conſumed out of the earth,Conſumpti, id eſt ſimul ſumpti. and let the wicked be no more, and Pſal. 10.15. Breake thou the arme of the wicked and the evill man, ſeek out his wickedneſſe, till thou finde none: Oh that ſomezzIſa. 14.23.Isa 14:23 beſome of deſtruction from the Lord, would ſweep them cleane off the Land, and that all theaaMatth. 3.12.Matt 3:12 Chaffe andbbMatth. 13.25.Matt 13:25 Tares might (if poſſible) at once, be bound up together in bundles, and caſt into flamesccLuk. 3.17.Luke 3:17 unquenchable. O my God, ſaith the zealous Prophet, make p. 29them like addPſal. 83.13.Ps 83:13 wheele; ſtrike them with ſome Vertiginous ſpirit of giddineſſe; let them be vexed, even as a thing that is raw; reſtleſſely, unexpreſſibly, never leave rowling and winding of themſelves, till they have utterly undone themſelves; and be cloathed with their ownffPſal. 109.29.Ps 109:29 confuſion, as with a mantle, &c.

Nor may we marvaile at this zeale; ſith, whileſt theſe Jebuſites doe ſtay among us, Reaſon. they are but asggJoſh. 23.13.Josh 23:13 thorns in our eyes; yea, the onelyonlyhhZech. 3.1.Zech 3:1 Satans, which ſtand at the very right hand of our Joſhua's, to reſiſt or to diſturbe them, in their moſt fervent ſervices and devotions: Theſe the onelyonly Achans, whoiiJoſh. 7.25.Josh 7:25 trouble our Iſrael, and as Jebu ſaid to Jehoram, Whatkk2 King. 9.22.2 Kgs 9:22 peace can be expected (with any aſſurance) in any Nation; where the Whoredomes or Witchcrafts, (whether Temporall orllRev. 17.5.Rev 17:5 Spirituall) of but one Jezabel, are endured?

It is ſaid here, in the cloſe of this Text, That the Land had reſt forty years: but note the occaſion, (and it is very obſervable) Judg. 4.16. All the Hoſte of Siſera fell upon the edge of the ſword, and there was not a Man left: in relation unto which, for the procuring of Peace for after times, the good Propheteſſe in likelihood, here prayed for a totall eradication; ſaying, So let all thine Enemies periſh O Lord.

Your ſelves with due Cautions, Ʋſe. may make the application: I have ſpoken untomm1 Cor. 10.15.1 Cor 10:15 wiſe men, who can judge, I doubt not, what I ſay.

AND ſo I come to the ſeventh and laſt particular in the Text, which is the manner,Part. VII. after which ſhe deſires, that all theſe Enemies of the Lord may periſh, Sic pereant, ſo: which Monoſyllable (So) I have reſerved to handle in the laſt place; becauſe p. 30it will beſt uſher in my intended application of the whole; and is indeed, as that Wine made by Chriſt at the Marriage feaſt, in Cana of Galilee, kept as the [nnJoſh. 2.10.Josh 2:10 beſt] till laſt: So, let all thine Enemies periſh O Lord. How? or, which way, would ſhe have them periſh? Perhaps we may reſolve this So, asooRibera, ad Amos 4.12.Amos 4:12 Ribera from Saint Hierom, doth that [ſo] or [thus] in the Prophet, Amos 4.12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Iſrael; Thus? How? or in what manner? R. Non nominat mala, ut omnia timeant; Hee names no one particular evill, that ſo they might ſtand in aw, and be afrayd of every evill of puniſhment:ppSueton. lib. 1. ſect. 65. Suetonius telleth us, that it was the very policy of Julius Caeſar, never to foreacquaint his Souldiers of any ſet time of removall, or onſet; Scilicet, ut paratum, & intentum, momentis omnibus, quo velle., ſubito educeret; That he ever have him, in readineſſe, for the ſuddaineſt march: nor was his way of animation and encouragement, by extenuating or denying the danger of the Enemy; but he deemed it fitter to raiſe up thoughts of valour, by an aggravation of the contrary forces; and (as the ſtory ſhews us) did not ſeldome this way Hyperbolically Rhetoricate; I know you can apply: But, whether that be intended in this text, I will not peremptorily ſay: But certainly, my deare Brethren, its a moſt uſefull meditation, and very availeable to prevent obſtinate ſecurity in dangerous times; to conſider the variety of Plagues, that the Lord hath up in ſtore for the children of diſobedience; to which end, I thinke it is, that the Lord is pleaſed to ſet before our eyes ſo large a Catalogue of Curſes, Deut. 28.

Give me leave a little to enlarge upon this ſubject, I ſhall ground my enlargement on that of the StoiqueqqEpictetus in enchiridio. Epictetus, foreign, ſaith he, foreign: that p. 31is (as I interpret it) according to diverſity of apprehenſion of good, or evill, ſo are mens mindes diverſly affected: and there are evils grievous to ſome, that ſeem good to others: for example, tell a valiant Souldier of Warre approaching, you ſpeake to his heart, for then he thrives; But tell a crazy Citizen of the fury of War, of the roaring of Cannons, of therrNab. 3.2. ratling of Chariots, ofſſIſa 9 5.Isa 9:5 garments rowled in blood, and ſuch like hideous diſaſters of battells; you pierce him at the heart, and give himttIſa. 61.3.Isa 61:3 mourning for the oyle of gladneſſe: To ſpeak of famine to a rich Churle, that keepsuuPro. 11.26.Prov 11:26 in his Corne, till the people curſe him; you cheare his very ſoule, and his joy is greater than the**Iſa. 9.3.Isa 9:3 joy in harveſt; but let the poore people feare dearth, or but heare of it, in the cauſes, their very hearts evenxxJoſh. 7 5.Josh 7:5 melt within them: Bring an earthworm tidings of a ſpirituallyyAmos 8.11.Amos 8:11 famine, of hearing the word of God; or of the loſſe, at the leaſt, hazard of the purity of Religion; loe! ſuch azzMatth. 7.6.Matt 7:6 ſwine doth but trample upon a pearl, and as Gallio, Act. 18.17. he careth for none of theſe things; but deale with one, that hathaa1 Pet. 2.3.1 Pet 2:3 taſted how gracious the Lord is in his word; which is thebbRom. 1.16.Rom 1:16 power of God unto ſalvation, to a true believer, who labors to expreſſe thecc2 Tim. 3.5.2 Tim 3:5 power of godlines in his actions; he is affected as the good wife of Phineas, when the Arke was taken; and cryeth out in the very bitternes of hisdd1 Sam. 4.21.1 Sam 4:21 ſoule, Ichabod, where is the Glory? when the Ark is taken: ſurely the glory is departed from any land, when the Goſpell, (the Teſtimony of Gods preſence and favour,) is like the EpheſianeeRev. 2.5.Rev 2:5 Candleſticke, removed thence.

Beſides, there are ſome judgements of God, which naturally are dreadfull, and yet have been executed upon ſome for enſamples; as, why thinke we not upon that of Sodome, whenffGen. 19.Gen 19 fire and brimeſtone were p. 32yoated down in full ſhowers from Heaven, to conſume the beſtiall inhabitants? Why not likewiſe, upon that vengeance of God upon Corab, Dathan and Abiram; whom for their ungracious mutiny, and envy at the ſonnes of Levy, the earth openingggNum. 16.Num 16 ſwallowed up quick, and (as unaccuſtomed morſells) devoured alive? Why not of Iſrael, deſtroyed ofhhNum. 21.6. & 1 Cor. 10.9.Num 21:61 Cor 10:9 ſerpents? on Abſalom, taken off in the veryii2 Sam. 18.9.2 Sam 18:9 act of his ſin, in the heat of treaſon and Parricide,kk2 King. 9.36.2 Kgs 9:36 againſt a King, and a Father? Why not of Jezabel, that frontleſſe brazen faced ſtrumpet, whoſe abuſed body and members were entombed in the bowels of Dogs? Why not of Samaria and Hieruſalem, where Parents were urged in diſtreſſe toll2 King. 6.29.2 Kgs 6:29 boyle andmmJoſephus. feed upon their own iſſue? Why not of Midianites, whom feare and ſuddaine frightfulnes occaſioned to makennJud. 7.21.Judg 7:21 each others bowels the ſheaths of their mutuall ſwords, and as the brood ofooSuoque Marte ruunt ſubiti, per mutua vulnera, fratres. Ovid. Cadmus, to deſtroy each other? I might be almoſt infinte, this way: What? ſaith the zealous Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.22. Doe we provoke the Lord to jelouſy? are we ſtronger then he? Thus let us think that if Famine, or Sword, or Peſtilence, or the noyſome Beaſt, (thoſe foure ſore judgements of his, Ezek. 14.21.) have conſumed ſome of us;ppJob. 4.5.Job 4:5 yet is not the ſtorehouſe of Gods vengeance exhauſted: loe!qqJob. 10.17.Job 10:17 changes and armies of ſorrow, as Job cals them; the Lord hath ſtill layd up in his treaſury of wrath; and what know we, which may befall us? Moreover, we muſt take notice, that Gods judgements are not all of one kind:rr9.35. & Iſa. 6.10. & Ro. 4.5.Isa 6:10Rom 4:5 there are inviſible Plagues as well as thoſe which light outwardly upon the Body, Goods, or Name; What think you of, hardnes of heart, horror, &ſſ1 Tim. 4.2.1 Tim 4:2 ſtupefaction of Conſcience, blindnes of minde,ttEpheſ. 4.19.Eph 4:19 greedines in committing ſinne, yet ſtupid ſtockiſhnes and remorſleſneſſe under the guilt of it; auuRom 4.28.Rom 4:28 permiſſion to run on in a courſe of enormity, to**1 Joh. 5.19.1 John 5:19 lye down in that p. 33wicked one, under the very power &xx2 Tim. 2.26.2 Tim 2:26 vaſſallage of the Devill; and all this without any ſenſe of a God to judge them, of any Conſcience to accuſe them, of any Hell to engulfe them, or damned Spirits to torment them, to all eternity; when the Lord, as we read, Deut. 29.4. hath not (all this time in this rufull plight) given them an heart to perceive, nor eyes to ſee, nor ears to heare, and hearing to lay to heart the dreadfullyyRev. 16.1.Rev 16:1 vialls of wrath, and direfull indignation, threatned to be powred out upon ſuch obſtinatezzEpheſ. 2.2.Eph 2:2 Children of diſobedience. And ſurely of all judgements, theſe ſpirituall ones are the heavieſt, and moſt to be trembled at; and the perſons upon whom we ſee them executed, have (of all others) upon them, the moſt expreſſe Characters (for the preſent, & quoad nos) of caſtawaies, andaaSoli filii iraeiram non ſentiunt, ſed laetantur, & exultant in rebus peſſimis. S. Bern. ſonnes of wrath; and methinks the powers of our very Soules cannot but be ſhaken (as Belſhazzars bbDan. 5.6.Dan 5:6joynts once trembled, and ſmote to ether at the ſight of the handwriting upon the wall) at the meditation.

In ſhort, for the wicked, this is that, which the Lord threatens; that which he [ccProv. 10.24.Prov 10:24 feares] ſhall ſurely come upon him; yea if there be any evill, that he feareth more than other, that let him expect to ſelfe upon him; for ſo God threatens him, Pro. 10.24. And for the reſt of us all, we have all cauſe to feare like judgements for like ſinnes, and impenitence. If we bedd1 Cor. 10.7 &c.1 Cor 10:7 Idolaters, Adulterers, Murmurers,ee2 Tim. 3.2.2 Tim 3:2 unthankfull, unholy, diſobedient, &c. How can we eſcape the ſame wrath with others, living under the dominion of the ſame unrighteouſneſs? fith the Lord hath proteſted, to make them ſhare in like puniſhments, who reſemble in like ſinning. Generally, let this be our wiſedome, to forecaſt our poſſibilities; and to foreſee our penalties pregnant in their cauſes, our ſinfull ſecurity; and let us all think, if one judgement p. 34ſmite us not, another may; if no paticular, yet all may betide us: for loe! ſaith God to Iſrael, [Thus] will I doe unto thee; I name no one particular judgement, that thou mayeſt teare every judgement. And here Deborah in the text, praying for the overthrow of Gods Enemies makes no mention of any particular way to have them periſh in; but only ſaith, at large and in the Generall; Sic pereant, [So] let all thine Enemies periſh, O Lord.

But notwithſtanding this uſefull meditation; If vet we reſerre to this particular ſtory, (as indeed for an apt expoſition, we cannot but doe) then the manner o… Siſera's overthrow will beſt interpret Deborah… meaning.

1. Then So that is by weak means; For we read, Judg. 4.9. that the honour of Siſera's ruine was not to be caſt upon Barak, though happily a valiant man, but the Lord, ſaith the Text, ſhall ſell Siſera into the hand of a woman; For J…el the wife of Heber, by a ſpeciall inſtinct from God; (much like unto that inſtinct which movedffNum. 25.7, 8.Num 25:7Num 25:8 Phineas, to deſtroy Zimri and Coſbi) ſhe was the inſtrument of Siſeras deſtruction; ſo was there a mighty deliverance wrought by Heſter, a woman, from Hamans intended cruelty upon the people of God; and by Judith, from Holofernes: And if I may take liberty to weave a wollen thread or two of ſecular ſtory, among the white-ſilk threads of divine; I could acquaint you, that in the moſt famous battels of the world, women have been renowned: in that warre of Xerxes againſt the Grecians, the Perſian Men fled ſhamefully and were ſlaine, when as Artemiſia, the Queen, ſtood it out, with valour; whence was the Proverbe of that time; The men were in that battell women, and the women, men; And did not Zenobia ſhew by farre more proweſſe in defending the Romane Empire, than Galienus? and how many of p. 35that ſexe, as Blandina and others, proved eximious martyrs in the primitive times? What ſhould IggVide Pet. Martyr. epiſt. ad Eliz. Regin. Angliae, p. 1124. mention our own home-Deborah Q. Elizabeth of famous memory? in whom beſides her ſex, there was nothing woman like, or weake: as if (what Philoſophy ſaith) the ſoules of theſe noble Creatures had followed the temperament of their bodies; which conſiſt of a frame of**F. Reſ. rarer roomes, of a more exact compoſition, than mans doth; and (if place be any priviledge) we ſhall finde theirs built in Paradiſe, when mans was made out of it: But yet the Scripture hath made her, if not inferiour, yet ſubordinate to man; and ſtyled her, The hh1 Pet. 3.7.1 Pet 3:7weaker Veſſell; and therefore is the deſtruction of Siſera by a woman, here noted as an occaſion to magniſi Gods greater glory, in the weake means of Siſera's overthrow; ſutably unto that of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 1 27. God hath choſen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; Note the compariſon and admire the deliverance; Siſera, a dreadfull Warriour; Jael, a feeble woman; Siſera, with 900. Chariots of yron, Jael, with a nayle onelyonly, and a work mans hammer, Jud. 5.26. Yet at the feet of ſo impotent a female he bowed, even Siſera (that great terrour of Iſrael) fell, he lay down, at her feet he bowed, he fell, where he bowed, there he fell down dead: OiiIſa 45.8.Isa 45:8 drop down righteouſnes yee heavens, and let the earth be aſtoniſhed at this! And (O my God) how eaſily can the Lord Chriſt. (as Sampſon with thekkJud. 15.16.Judg 15:16 jaw-bone of an Aſſe ſlew heaps upon heaps, even a thouſand Philiſtins at a clap) with the veryll2 Theſſ. 2.8.2 Thess 2:8 ſpirit of his mouth, and with the breath of his noſtrils (ſo eaſily, ſo with no labour) conſume the very man of finne himſelfe, and dung his Vineyard with the dead carkaſſe of that wildemmPſal. 80.13.Ps 80:13 Bore of the foreſt, Antichriſt himſelfe! God can as eaſily blaſt an Oake, as trample a muſhrome.

p. 362. So, that is, by flight, Judg. 4.17. moſt ſhamefully and with diſhonor; In all GodsnEph. 6.11, &c. armory, there is no armour for the backe; but ſee here this daring Champion betakes him to his heels and flyes; yea, all his mighty hoſte ſeem to have been called thither, only to be overthrown; for not a ſtroke was given, that we can diſcover of his ſide; Thus therefore for proud Siſera to be cow'd out, and daſtardly to turne his back upon the weake army of the Iſraelites; So, to periſh, was to lay hisooPſal. 7.5.Ps 7:5 honour in the duſt.

3. So, to wit, by a nayle, and by an ordinary workmans hammer; Note here the law of Retaliation from the Lord; He who had ſo much vaunted of his yron Chariots, is now ſlaine by one mayle of yron; thus, Judg. 1.7. Adonibezek is payd home, as it were, in his own Coyn, and met with in the very ſame kind, even in his Thumbs and Toes, which were cut off, as he had done before to threeſcore and ten Kings: which obſervation forced him, to confeſſe Gods juſtice upon him, As I have done, ſaith be, So God hath requited me: So the Wiſeman, Wiſed. 11.16. Wherewithall a man ſinneth, by the ſame alſo ſhall he be puniſhed: I could cloy you with examples; Appion ſcoffing at Religion, and chiefely at cicumciſion, had an Ulcer the ſame time and place, as Joſephus reporteth: the ſtory of Haman truſſed up to hisppEſt. 7.10.Esth 7:10 own gallows is known: Abimelech, who flew ſeventy of his Brethren upon a ſtone, Jud. 9.5. hath his brain-pan broken by the piece of a milſtone, ver. 53. Becauſe rebellious Saul [caſt away] the word of the Lord, therefore, the Lord [caſt him away] from being King, 1 Sam. 15.23. As Agag his ſword made women childeleſſe, ſo ſhall his mother be childeles among other Women, 1 Sam. 15.33. Abner having ſlaine Aſaael under the fift rib, 2 Sam. 2.23. was himſelfe likewiſe ſmitten under the fift rib, by Joab and ſlaine, 2 Sam. 3.27. The Jewes, who ſold p. 37Chriſt Jeſus for thirty pieces of ſilver, (aqqZech. 11.13.Zech 11:13 goodly price) had afterwards thirty of their own heads ſold for one piece of ſilver; asrrJuſtè poſtea 30. capita ſuorum viderunt vendi uno denario ad illudendum. Hegeſippus, de excidio Jeruſal. p. 680. Hegiſippus acquaints us: Et delator habet, quod dabat, exilium, ſaithſſMartial. l. 1. Ep. 4. Martial; In ſhort, See Pſal. …4.21, 22, 23. They gather themſelves together, ſaith David, againſt the ſoule of the Righteous and condemn the Innocent blood, but God, (the rock of our refuge) ſhall bring upon them their own iniquity, and ſhall cut them off in their own wickedneſſe; yea, the Lord our God ſhall cut them off; Thus the Jewiſh Rabbins had a conceit, that therefore King David, in his old age, failed oftt1 King. 11.1 Kgs 11 warmth from his own cloaths; becauſe he had formerly cut off the lap ofuu1 Sam. 24.4.1 Sam 24:4 Sauls garment, being the Lords Anointed: Thus, as one obſerves, the Lord Haſtings was beheaded at London, that very ſelfe ſame day twelvemonth, yea, the ſame houre; and if curioſity may go farther, the ſame minute, wherein he had conſpired the death of the Queens Children at Pomfret Caſtle: Why waſte I breath in this endleſſe courſe of examples? we find, that divers of the greateſt account, of**B…. Carleton relation of the deliverances of England. this dayes conſpiracy in the County of Warwick (whither they fled for ſhelter) were asxxFlorus, hiſt. l. 1. Florus writeth of the old Fidenates, cremati [ſuo] igne, maymed and ſcorched in their faces, hands, ſides, and other parts by Gunpowder; the ſame inſtrument of death, that they had prepared for the Head, and for the whole repreſentative Body of this Kingdome: even as Siſera, in this ſtory we now treate of, was met with in a part of that yron, in the ſtrength of which he had ſo much vaunted himſelfe. Neque enim lex juſtior ulla eſt, Quam necis artifices arte perire ſuâ.

Laſtly, So; that is, whileſt he was faſt aſleep Ju. 4.21. even in the height of his moſt repoſed reſt, and ſecurity; for even in the very midſt of tumult, & the very jaws of death, this carnall heathen found a time to ſleep; p. 38Quem Deus perdere vult, ſtultum facit; whom God intendeth to deſtroy, he firſt infatuates; when Sodom was to be deſtroyed, the men of the City were (ſome of them) ſmitten with blindnes; ſo that they could not foreſee their own now moſt imminent ruine; compare Judg. 18.27. And (not to be tedious) the infernall traytors of this day,yyGen. 19.11.Gen 19:11 as Dr. Carleton relates it, were ſecurely ſitting and warming themſelves by a fire; (even as wicked Jehoiakim, Jer. 36.22. when the very threatenings of the Law of God were againſt him, ſate before the fire, without feare) when a ſparkle of that ſame fire flew out, and lighting upon ſome two pound waight of powder that lay nigh them, miſerably deformed and ſpoiled them, neer the place of their ſurprizall.

And it is a moſt irrevocable truth, my beloved Chriſtians, that the Lord never ſuffereth his Enemies to gozzHoe tene, nec crimen quenquam in pectore geſtare, qui non idem Nemeſin in tergo. Lipſius, l. 2. c. 13. deConſtant. unrevenged one way, or by ſome means, or other; ſometimes he takes them off in the very beginning of their lewd projects, and cruſheth the Cockatrice in he Egge; ſometimes in the veryaaIn Scelere ſceleris ſupplicium eſt, & …aetanea ſceleripoena, &c. vid. Dupleſſis, c. 12. de verit relig. Chriſt. p. 198 &c. vol. 8. act, as Abſalom, Belſhazzar, Herod; ſometimes the puniſhment, as thunder doth lightening, followeth inſtantly upon the very heels of their ſinne; as uponbbAct. 5.5, 10.Acts 5:5Acts 5:10 Ananta; and Sapphira; and ſometimes, not till a long time after; as upon that old Judge, who was with his age, waxen old alſo in wickedneſſe; which was at laſt brought to light, ver. 52. of the Hiſtory of Suſanna; ſee to the ſame purpoſe,ccLuk. 11.50.Luke 11:50 Matth. 23.35. foreign, ſaithddPlato de repub. Plato; In ſumme, cannot God blaſt the corn in the blade, in the harveſt, in the Barn, in the very mouthes of the wicked? But if they bee treaſonable attempts againſt the Lords Anoynted; ifee2 Sam. 18.9.2 Sam 18:9 Abſolom, ff2 Sam. 17 23;2 Sam 17:23Achitophel, (who proved their own executioners)gg2 King. 9.31.2 Kgs 9:31 Zimri, thehh2 Chron. 35.25.2 Chr 35:25 ſervants of Ammon, and the reſt of the ſame rabble; if any of theſe proſpered, then p. 39may a like Traytor hope for immunity from vengeance; yea, whatiiSueton. lib. 1. ſect. 89. Saeton reporteth of ſuch as ſtab'd King Julius Ceſar, is generally true of all ſuch; Nequiſquam [ſuâ] morte defunctus eſt, No one of them died a naturall death, or went down to his grave inkk1 King. 2.6.9.1 Kgs 2:61 Kgs 2:9 Peace: And the reaſon, why a [llGen. 4.15.Gen 4:15 ſeven-fold] vengeance was threatned more upon him, that ſhould kill Cain, then was upon Cain himſelfe, though a bloody Fratricide; is given by ſome to be this, viz. becauſe Cain was a Prince, and being eldeſt Sonne to Adam, was Heire apparent to the Crown of the whol world: Our owne ſtories and experience may convince us herein, HowmmPſal. 105.15.Ps 105:15 tender the Lord is of Royall dignity; how much he thinketh hisnnZech. 2.8.Zech 2:8 own Majeſty intereſted, in the injuries attempted, or done to his Vice gerents and ſuch as carry ſemblance of his authority upon earth; the vengeances have been, ſundry of them, fearefull even to aſtoniſhment; Wherefore, Gods charge is ſo peremptory, Pſal. 105.15. Touch not mine anoynted, that is, Tactu qualitativo, with the leaſt intention of annoyance; and as David ſaid to Abiſhai, who would have ſmitten Saul (aooHoſ. 13.11.Hos 13:11 wicked King) 1 Sam. 26.9. Deſtroy him not; for, who can ſtretch forth his hand againſt the Lords Anoynted, and be guilt leſſe? I ſay, as SaintppS. Ambroſ. de Naboth Jezraelit. cap. 11. Ambroſe, when he cloſeth the ſtory of Abab and Jezabels fearefull end: Fuge ergò Dives bujuſmodi exitum; ſed fugies hujuſmodi exitum, ſi fugeris hujuſmodi flagitium; Let all men tremble at the fearefull ends of wicked men, chiefely of traytors, for the brand of the King of Kings is ſet upon ſuch; but ſuch ends yee ſhall avoyd, if yee carefully fly from ſuch like abominations.

Now to ſumme up the whol of this particular: [So] let all thine Enemies periſh, that is, in the height of their vain-glorious oſtentation, by [weake] means; [So] that is, in ſo ſhamefull a ſort, as daſtard [flying] before p. 40their purſuers: So, in being entrapped in their [own] ſnares and nets; and laſtly, ſo, in the midd…ſt of their deadly ſecurity; when they are as inſenſible of ruine, as of ſinne: Even [ſo,] ſaith good Deborah here; So let all thine Enemies periſh, O Lord.

And thus have I gone over all the particulars of this my firſt generall; and with them, I perceive, I have filled up the houre: But becauſe, as St. Auſtin ſaid of the feaſt of Pentecoſt, Gaudet [produci] haec ſolennitas; This ſolemnity would bee extended, and (as the ſilkworm ſtretcheth forth her ſelfe, before ſhe ſpins her fineſt threads) be drawn-out to a length: I could even wiſh, with Joſhua, that the Sunne wouldqqJoſh. 10.12.Josh 10:12 ſtand ſtill awhile; that we might the longer rejoyce in this our gladſome feſtivall; which ſo much angreth our Romiſh Proſelytes, and maketh them (becauſe we will never have done with this day) torrPſal. 112.10.Ps 112:10 gnaſh their teeth upon us, with meagre envy: This,ſſPſal. 118.24.Ps 118:24 This is the day, that the Lord hath made; let us rejoyce and bee glad therein.

And that we may the better doe it; give me now leave, as Eliſha ſometimes did upon the Shunamites dead ſonne, tott2 King. 4.34.2 Kgs 4:34 ſtretch my Application upon each member of this Text; I may, perhaps, raiſe up your attentions to ſome new life and vigour; and ſhew your, that this Scripture is as fit, and conſonant to this daies occaſion and ſolemnity; as was to Caſars coine theuuMatth. 22 20.Matt 22:20 image of Caeſar; Whether we conſider the Enemies from whom; or the manner how, or the author of whom this our great deliverance came.

And, as I remember, Saint Gregory Nanianzen prologues his firſt Steliteutique againſt Julian the Apoſtate; ſo will I, this my enſuing ſpeech; foreign, — foreign, &c. Let all the Nations of the earth p. 41give eare; let all ages both this preſent, and that to come, liſten, yea remember, if not this ſpeech, yet the hints of a ſeaſonable diſcourſe.

For the firſt, the quality of our Enemies, the Papiſts, we cannot better ſee them, then in the faſhions of thoſe Heretiques, the Antitactae of old; who held it Piety, to contradict the Laws of their Maker; and in ſtead of them, to introduce the ſottiſh fopperies of their own phrenzies: And if you are deſirous to ſee a map of them drawn up ready to your hands; you may ſee it, in that [Serious diſſwaſive from Popery; and, in the old Religion,] which are extant among the precious Volumes of a glorious Light and Champion of our Church, our Reverend Dioceſan;Bp. Hall. (a Prelate of immortall memory; whom for his mortall oppoſition unto all Popiſh, rotten Doctrines, and Antichriſtian Superſtitions; and for whoſe peerleſſe devotion and ſanctity, poſterity ſhall admire with Honour: as now, I know, our neighbour Churches doe, for one of the moſt accompliſhed Divines that ever great Britaine yeelded.)

But, to ſhew the quality of the Antichriſt, our fatall Enemy of Rome, (for he that is not [with] us, is [**Matth. 12.30. Non foreign, non foreign, ſed foreign: an oppoſite to Chriſt, as if h… oppoſing ſhould be not ſo much to his nature or perſon, as to his unction and Function. D. Sel p. 118 on 2 Theſſ.Matt 12:30 againſt] us, ſaith our Saviour) I will repreſent the whole before you, under theſe two Heads.

I. Doctrine.

II. Manners.

Upon which two, as the Heavens upon two Poles, all that can be ſaid of that fallen Church doth move; In the unfolding of both which, it may appeare perchance, what friends this Golden Pulpit (that I may take off the aſperſion that is caſt upon it, as I have been told of late; as being willing to burn ſome Incenſe and ſweet odors, after an ill ſent) hath afforded unto Popery, unto accurſed, moſt damnable Popery.

For the latter of theſe, their manners; I cannot p. 38duplicate page p. 39duplicate page p. 40duplicate page p. 41duplicate page p. 42better parallel, than with thoſe Blaines and Botches, that, Exod. 9.10. bliſtered both man and beaſt in Aegypt, in the dayes of Moſes; yea, as the**Iſa. 1.6.Isa 1:6 Prophet ſpeaks, from the ſole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no ſoundnes in it, but wounds and bruiſes, and putrifying ſores: By Stapletons own confeſſion, (the Devill ſometimes confeſſeth Chriſt, and ſpeaketh truth) there can ſcarcelyxxVix ullum peccatum, (ſolâ haereſi exceptâ) cogitari poteſt, quo illa ſedes turpitèr maculata non fuerit, maxime ab anno. 800. &c. Sta pleton. relect. controv 1. q. 5. Art. 3. any ſinne be thought upon, (onelyonly Hereſie excepted) which that Sea of Rome hath not been ſpotted with; chiefely, ſince the yeare, 800. Nor need they, I wis, except Hereſie; for Biel and Almaine confeſſe the Popes to have been foully plunged in it: witneſſe thoſe prodigies, whoyyVid. Platin. in vitis Rom. pont. denyed the immortality of the ſoule, profeſſed Necromancy, &c. [thirty] errours acknowledged by Onuphrius their own Chronologer; and indeed, ſaith a ReverendzzEp. Davenant. qu. eſt. 41. p. 185. Edit. 1634. Cantabr. Eccleſia Romana ex quo ſemel erravit, cogitur aeternum in ſuis eroribus per ſeverare, &c. Biſhop of our own Church; Rome hath deſervedly rewed this puniſhment of all her errours; (ſith ſhe hath boaſted her ſelfe of an incompoſſibility of them, to conſiſt with her) that ſince firſt ſhe did erre, ſhe is permitted juſtly to perſevere in damnable erours: In ſumme, If ſuch odious Doctrines (whereof anon) have been delivered by her, when ſhe ſaith, ſhe cannot erre; Good God! what would ſhe doe, if ſhe could erre. To be ſhort;**Sleidan. Comment, l. 1. p. 7. Sleidan hath Epitomized the whole thus; Omnium locorum totius orbis terrarum faediſſima ſentina, & in exhauſta quaedam colluvies; It's indeed, the very ſink and drain of all impurity; whichaaSalvian l. 7. de Gubern. Dei. Salvian andbbNicholas de Clemangis, de corrup to eccleſiae ſtatu. Nicholas de Clemangis have copiouſly exemplified: yea, her own ſtories, Acts and Monuments doe convince her to be accD. Raynolds, p. 608. in Preface to ſixe concluſ. againſt Hart. out of Platin. Onuph. Sabellic. Guicciardin. Thedoric à Niem Abbas Vrſperg. &c. Bapt. Mantuan. eclog. 9.5. Ste a Catalog. of her corruptions, in concluſ. s. p. 662, 663. D. Raynold. ibid. nurſe of warres, a parent of unfaithfulnes, a ſpoyler of the brethren, a worſhipper of Idols, a ſeat of covetouſnes, a Lady of p. 43pride, a cheriſher and inflamer of Luſts, of outrages, of abominations, whoſe old [fame] continueth, but whoſe [goodnes] is gone; Hence that Diſtich of the Traveller,

Roma vale, vidi; ſatis eſt vidiſſe; revertar,

Cum leno, aut meretrix, ſcurra, cynaedus ero.

And is it not now meet, think you, that we ſhould be whiſtled back to the lure of that ſtews and ſtrumpet? which thus pretendeth to be the Phyſitian, to cure the Church, when as indeed, ſhe is the very diſeaſe of it? yea rather, my deare brethren, Come out from amon… them, and be yee ſeparate, ſaith the Lord, 2 Cor. 6.7. believe it, there may be leſſe danger in a Peſthouſe, than in ſuch familiarity: therefore SaintddRev. 18.4.Rev 18:4 Joh. is alſo importunate from a voyce heard from Heaven; Come out of her my people, that yee be not partaker o… Babylons ſins, that ſo ye receive not of her Plagues: We are ſure, St. Peter himſelfe, (whoſe infallibility, chiefly ſeated in the [Chaire] of Peſtilence, his pretended ſucceſſour at Rome, doth ſo much crack of) perſwaded unto another Practiſe, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Be yee [Holy] in all manner of Converſation: The truth is, He reſembles Peter in nothing, but in theeeMatth. 26.70.Matt 26:70 deny all of his Maſter; I ſhould cloy you with a larger mention of their reaking obſcenities.

Come we next to Doctrine; and here I am in ſo over-grown a garden of weeds; that it is hard to crop almoſt one flower, which reſents not rankly; But, that I may abridge the larger Volumes, under a few heads, I will make the principall of them, (with which they have too-long inferted the Church of God) run, in ſome ſort, parallel; with the c…iefe of thoſe paſſages and judgements, which the Lord, of old, ſhewed before, and inflicted upon Pharaoh in Aegypt; And indeed, I think them herein, better capable of a parallel, then (under ſavour) ſome others, p. 44happily other waies; namely, with the (though too-much to be lamented) blemiſhes of our own Church; I profeſſe, I am not of a diſpoſition, delighting to lay open the ſhame of my deare Parent; becauſe I ſhould then feare theffGen. 9.25.Gen 9:25 Curſe of Cham; I know, ſuch immodeſt detections are too apt to occaſion theggPſal. 79.4.Ps 79:4 deriſion and the ſcorn of Enemies: It is too true, (I acknowledge, andhh[Pudet] haec opprobria nobis, & dici potuiſſe, & non potuiſſe refelli. bluſh in the relation) among the very ſonnes of Eli the Prieſt, there might perhaps be found ſome fouly degenerous ſons ofii1 Sam. 2.12.1 Sam 2:12 Belial; whoſe exorbitancies, reflexively, occaſioned the verykkVer. 17. ibid. Sacrifices to be abhorred by the Vulgar; among the Apoſtles themſelves, there was a Judas, who was ſo wicked, that our Saviour ſtyles him no other then a Devill, Jo. 6.70. But there are alſo (and I hope & doubt not, the greater part) whoſe droſſe is more purged, and whoſe ſilver more**Prov. 25.4.Prov 25:4 refined; Glorious Lamps blazing both in Life and Doctrine, to the honour and renown of this famous Church of England: One ſpark of a Diamond may be worth whole piles of Marble, and the beauty of ſuch eximious Worthies, outvie the duskiſhnes of a few falſe lights; however, I ſhould rather chooſe with that piousllTheodoret hiſt. lib. 1. c. 11. & Socrat. lib. 1. c. 8. & carranza in Concilii Niceni apparatu. Conſtantine to [ſeale] up the unhappy diſtempers of the Church, with a ſignet of ſilence, and to imitate the good Samaritan, inmmLuk. 10.34.Luke 10:34 binding up the ſoares of my Mother-Church, then to blazon her ſears, (too much, alas! known already, to the bellowing, and unſanctifiednn2 Sam. 16.5.2 Sam 16:5 Shimeis of accurſed Antichriſt) to her ſhame or obloquie; He I believe, who loves with Shem, toooGen. 9.23.Gen 9:23 cover up the uncomely nakedneſſe of his (chiefly) ſpirituall Parent, may not without hopes, expect his heavenly Fathers bleſſing; Though, on the other ſide, if there be found out any Achans, who haveppJoſh. 7.25.Josh 7:25 troubled our Iſrael, if they be convinced, let them be brought forth, and let every one caſt a ſtone at them; thatqqPſal. 85.9.Ps 85:9 glory may ſtill p. 45dwell in our Land; But for the Lamps of the Tabernacle, that burn but [dimly,] the [Snuffers] of a ſeaſonable Reformation, inſtead of [Extinguiſhers] ſhall ſuffice, Exod. 37.23.

But I come to my Parallell; and here not to ſtand long upon the brick-kilns of Aegypt; to which I might compare the Romiſhz Purgatory,rrConcil. Trident. ſeſſ. 25. p. 224. vol. 8. & Catechiſm. ad Paroch. ſub Pio 5. (but that it is but meerly an Ignis fatuus) chiefly theſſSee B. Morton p. 85, 86. ſect. 2, 3. c. 5. Grand. Impoſt. ex Agrippa. de vanit. ſcient. Inquiſition, (that cruell rack, not more of bodies then of Soules:) The firſt ſign ſhewen before Pharoah, was the caſting of Aarons Rod upon the ground, ſo that it became a Serpent, Exod. 7.10. What was this Rod a Type of, but of that [true] wood of the Croſſe of Chriſt? asttMacarius, Homil 47. p. 523 foreign, &c. Confer. Pet. Galatin. lib. 6. c. 15. De Arcanis Catholicae verit. foreign Macar. Macarius acquaints us; which Croſſe of Chriſt, whileſt they teach to be adored and cringed unto, and worſhipped, whether in Timber or otherwiſe, (and delude ſo many millions of ſoules with the narration of the ſaving virtue of the very ſplinters of it, ſent abroad to their ſimple and abuſed Proſelytes,) inſtead of informing them, how the Croſſe of Chriſt ſhould not in ſhadow, but in Truth, be taken up, by ſuffering affliction with Chriſt; What are theſe but Idolaters? direct Enemies, even Enemies of the true uſe of the Croſſe of Chriſt? Phil. 3.18. So as that, which to the poore deluded ſoules among them, ſhould be as a [ſtaffe] to ſupport them; is like to that of Aaron, turned (by the Magicall inchantments of thoſe Romiſh,foreign. Antichriſtian Impoſtors) into a [Serpent] to ſting them even unto death.

Secondly, to the Lice and ſwarms of Flyes, Exod. 8.1….24. what may better be reſembled, then that corrupt Doctrine ofuu1 Tim. 4.2.1 Tim 4:2 lyes, which they forge and ſpeak in hypocriſie; bred out of the putride matter of their own ntoxicated heads; putrifying (as the**Eccleſ. 10.1.Eccl 10:1 Dead fly doth the boxe of ſweet Oyntment) the clear and living Doctrine of Salvation? Thus, by what they p. 46teach of natures power to move it ſelfe, (of it's ſelfe) to Heaven; what ofxxConcil. Trid. ſeſſ. 6. can. 4, 5, 6. Free-will; of worksyy…. ſeſſ. 6. c. 16. meritorious, of workes of Supererogation,zzBellar. & Rhemiſt. ad Luc. 10.35.Luke 10:35 and more than duty; what ofaaConc. trid. ſeſſ. 22. c. 3 & ſeſſ. 25. p. 225. Invocation of Saints,bbIbid ſeſſ. 25. p. 225. prayer for the dead, of finall Apoſtaſie, and the reſt of that Doctrine of Devils, crammed in together in their Trent Conventicle, and ſealed up with an Anathema, in eve-Canon; They [Vermine-like] endeavour moſt naſtily to peſter the truth ofccRom. 3.24. & Art. …1. of our Church.Rom 3:24 free Juſtification by Faith only; of naturesddforeign, Calv. Inſtit. lib. 2. c. 5. ſect 13. in fine Joh. 15.5. & art. 10. of our Church.John 15:5 Nothingnes; ofeeJer. 32.40. 1 Cor. 1.8. & art. 16. of our Chur.Jer 32:401 Cor 1:8 Finall perſeverance, (the main proppe of a Chriſtian in temptation) and the reſt of thatff1 Tim. 6.3. Tit. 2.7, 8.1 Tim 6:3Titus 2:7Titus 2:8 wholeſome Doctrine of life; ſummed into the Articles of our own Church, (which we have all, or moſt, [proteſted] to maintain, lately) but chiefely, contained in theggIſa. 12.3.Isa 12:3 wells themſelves of ſalvation, the Holy Scriptures.

And by the Flyes, I may w…ll reſemble th…ſe tales, and Legends, and lyes, touching the virtue of Beads, and Medals andhhConc. trid. ſeſſ. 25. p. 225, 226, 227. Reliques, and Roſes, and Croſſings, and Agnus Dei, and innumerable bawbles of like nature; together with other Trumpery and Traſh, fitter for Children to ſport with, in a winters night, than for me to mention in this grave aſſembly; What was that other than a baſe Lye, whichiiKelliſon in ſurvey of the new Rel…g lib. 1. ca. 1. ſect. 18 & l 2. c. 5 ſect. 6. ib. Idem ferè, ac ſi familiaritatem cum Diabolo ipſo iniiſſet, dic t. Serarius Jeſ. tract. de Lutheri Magiſtro. Kelliſon leaves under his ſcabbed pen, of Luther, (thekkSi Luthero faverem, it viro [bona,] quod fatentur & hoſtes, (exactiſſimum approbandigenus) Deut. 32. Eraſm. tom. 8. Ep. Albert. Card. Mogunt. pag. 401Deut 32 worthy, and ſtout inſtrument of the Church her Reformation) that the Devill was an Incubus to his Mother, or: ſuccubus to his Father, and (as Cochlaeus ſeconds him) d…edllCochlaeus, in vita Lutheri. ſuddenly a violent and ſhamefull death? when…e ſaith Coſterus the Jeſuite, If any Lutheran be ſaved, Tum veldamner ipſe, Then, (ſee his charity) let me be damned! O. the ſame bran is that of Calvin, that p. 47he dyed, as Antiochus and Herod, (after he had firſtmmBolſecus, in vitâ Calvini. called upon the Devils) being eaten up ofnnBellarm. lib. 4. de Notis eccleſiae ca. 17. worms: But as all the skill of the Magitians in Aegypt, Exod. 8.18. failed in the [ooMagorum poteſta… defecit in [muſcis] S. Auguſt. l. 3. c. 7. de trin. leaſt] wonder, the Flyes; ſo, in theſe groſſe lyes, our Romaniſts have been made to yield, even by ſome of them, who (as Beza and others) have ſurvived to read, and ſmile at the relation of the manner of their own falſe Deaths.

I haſten; to the deſtroying of their [firſt-born,] Exod. 11.5. may be juſtly reſembled their deſperate, and diſconſolate Doctrine, concerning Infants, dying withoutppConc. trid. ſeſſ. 7. Can. de Baptiſ. & Bellarm. lib. de Baptiſ. &c. Baptiſme; the opus operatum, the work done whereof, if they partake not, they injoyn their Clerkes, as Pharaoh did the Midwives of the Hebrew women, toqqExod. 1.16.Exod 1:16 deſtroy and damne them unto Hell; directly againſt the promiſe of God, made to the righteous [ſeed] in the Covenant, Act. 2.39. But, chiefly, the infants of**The pretended inconven. ſee in Hiſt. of trent. Concil. p. 460. **Concil. trid. ſeſſ. 24. Can. 9. & ſeſſ 25. c. 1. à Papa Syricio orimo decretum eſt hoc votum, & per vim, & tyrannidem, reclamantibus Epiſc. Italiae, German. Gall. ab Hildebrando inſano confirmatum, Baron. an. 1974. ſed vide refut. ab ep. Davenant. quaeſt. 42. qua ſupra p. 197, 198.Married Prieſts; whom they inforce, beyond their power, againſt the Laws of God, and nature, torrBeſides, Nuda carentia non damnat, ſed contemptus. Vow perpetuall Continency and ſingle life; allowing rather (in ſome caſes) filthy Fornication, then Gods honourable ordinance of holy andſſHeb. 13.4.Heb 13:4 undefiled Matrimony: Yea, if yet I may have leave, to winde up mine inſtrument a pegge higher; the firſt-born is, by Prerogative, dignor in populis, the more worthy and eminent above his Brethren; ſo Lyra expounds that Text, Exod. 4.22. Iſrael is my ſonne, even my Firſt-born; And then we may hereto parallel their doctrine of the ſupremacy, wherby they make the Scepter to ſtoupe unto the Miter, and the King to bow unto the Pope; as, ſometimes, the ſheaves of Joſephs brethren bowed to the ſheaves of Joſeph: Thus Hildebrand made the Diadem of the Emperour, tottforeign Pope called Antichriſt, becauſe contrary not onelyonly Chirſto Domino, but alſo Chriſto Domini 2 Theſſ. 2.4. He exalts himſelfe above all that is [called] God, that is, all Magiſtracy.2 Thess 2:4 vaile to his Chroſier; and that of p. 48uuPlatina in vitá Alex. 3. p. 206.Frederik Barbaroſſa abuſed by that Beaſt, Alexander the third, is known; when (having firſt kiſſed his Toe) being trampled on by that impudent Antichriſt, he had the words of the Pſalme added; Thus will I tread upon the Baſiliske and the Adder, Pſal. 91.13. &c. vah Lucifer!

I ſhould great your ears too-much by rehearſing, on this occaſion, the arrogant**B. Mortongrand Impoſt. c. 13. ſect 5. p. 251, 252. & Arch. uſher lib. 9 ſect 1, 2. & p. 255, 256 &c. de ſucceſſ. eccleſ. Chriſt. & Dr. Raynolds againſt Hart c 1. diviſ. 2. p. 17.19. alſo, Rogers, on Article 37. of the Chu. of England, p. 211. All taken out out of Ezonius, in lib. qui inſeribitur, Romanus pontifex. Panormit. de tranſl. prael. cap. quarte & Stapleton ep. Nuncupat. ad Grego. 13. Ante principal. doctrin. & ex multis aliis, à digniſſ. Mortono ibid. citatis, it. D. Sclater, on 2 Theſſ. c 2. v. 4. p. 124.2 Thess 2:4 titles, where with this Chough, or Daw of Rome, as with ſeverall feathers, ſtoln from the Royall dignity of Monarchs, hath plumed himſelfe; yea, in which he hath prided himſelfe, even unto Blaſphemy; Thus Pope Innocent the eight was ſtyled, by his Paraſites, in Royalty and Unction, [Chriſt] above his fellows; an attribute proper unto Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe; Heb. 1.9. And more yet, of the ſame Beaſt; He is called One, above all Principalities and powers, and whatſoever is named in this, or in the other world; plainly alſo proper to Chriſt, Eph. 1.21. Pope Gregory the thirteenth (ſtop your ears) called power, might, or majeſty of God upon earth; and again, Our Lord**Se non ſolum Deum, ſed etiam ſolum ſe Deum eſſe dicit. lib. 3. Bell. cap 14 De Pont. Rom. God the Pope: We pretermit many the like hideous blaſphemies of that triple-crowned Lucifer.

To proceed to the judgement of Locuſts Exod. 10.12, or, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 105.34. of Caterpillars [innumerable,] I may parallel their innumerable orders of Monkes and Fryars, as Auguſtans, Dominicans, Franciſcans, Capuchins, and of late, their Nullani, and the reſt of the like rabble without number and without regard: But the Monſter of all Monſters, is the prodigious brood of [Jeſuits] a mongrell Gregation; For as it is noted of the Mule, (that p. 49ulcer in nature) that out of the filthy commixture of the ſtallion, and the ſhee aſſe, is generated that mongrell calle… the Mule; in like ſort, out of the corruption of a Leprous Papiſt and ſomething worſe (if worſe may be) is brought forth this unlucky brood of the Jeſuits, who after the guize of the Papa…ns, that put names (foreign upon their Popes, directly croſſing their natures; as if he be a Snowt face, they ſtyle him B…niface; if a tyrant, Caemens; on the other ſide, if mecker than ordinary, (which is very rare) they call him Leo, &c. Notorious hypocrites, that will never ſeem as they are, nor be as they ſeem! So theſe carry in their names, [ISSUS] a Saviour; but in their H…arts, like to thexxApoc. 9 11.Rev 9:11 King of the Locuſts, (whoſeyyVide Epiſc. Andrews, p. 53, 54. in concion. latin. in Pſal 144.10. inter opera poſthuma.Ps 144:10 reſemblance they carry) Abaddin, and Apallyon: zzSerarius, lib. 1. c 2 qu. 19. in Joſh.Serarius vaynly will needs ſerive the name from the old Teſtament, Num. 26.24. Jeſuits quaſi Jaſhubits; like as Eraſmus found Fryars in St. Pauls time, inter falſos fratres, among the falſe Brethren: among much change of houſes, they haveaaSee …. Hall in his Q…ò vadis? ſect 15 & 19, 20, 21, 24. item cundem, decad. 5. epiſt. 1. & ſerm. ſtyled Phariſaiſme, & Chriſtianity, verſus Finem, & Du Moulin, de fence of King James, c 4. two famous, for the accordance of their Names; one called the Bow, at Nola, the other, the Arrow, (l. Fleſhe) in France: though this latter were more worthy of the name of a whole quiver, containing not fewer, then 800. ſhafts of all ſizes: Their Apoſtate Ferrier playd upon them in this Diſtich;

Arcum Nola dedit, dedit illis alma ſagittam

Gallia: quis funem, quem meruere, dabit?

Nola the bow, and France the ſhaft did bring:

But who ſhall help them to an hempen ſtring.

Of their [bbEpheſ. 4.14.Eph 4:14 cunning craftineſſe] to deceive by their wicked equivocations, mentall reſervations, &c. and their [cc2 Tim. 3.6.2 Tim 3:6 creeping] into the houſes and ſociety of ſilly people, under the pretence of devotions, (as of old, theddMatth. 23.14.Matt 23:14 Phariſees) ſwallowing up the Patrimonies of deluded weake ones; and becauſe of their cunning, p. 50therefore the more [eeFacilior cauti… eſt, ubi manifeſtior formido eſt. Plus metuendus eſt, & cavendus inimicus, cum latenter obrepit, cum per pacis imaginem fallens occultis acceſſibus ſerpit, unde & nomen ſerpentis accepit, &c. S. Cyprian. lib. de Vnitat. eccleſ. ſect. 1.2. dangerous;] What page of the faithfull relatour of their practi…es, ſhews not? They have like thoſe locuſts of the bottomles pit, theffRev. 9.7, 8.Rev 9:7Rev 9:8 faces of men, and the hair of women, pleaſing and alluring; but the very teeth of Lyons, and the ſtinging tayles of ſcorpions: If a learned man encounter them, their words are ſmoother then oyle; and the fair pretence of being ſoon accorded in matter, if once the Terms of expreſſion might be reconciled: But, if they meet with the feebler ſex, or the**Vide P. Martyr epiſt. Calvin. p. 1124. qua ſupra. leſſe grounded Chriſtian, their words will eate, as doth agg2 Tim. 2.17.2 Tim 2:17 Canker, or Gangrene,hh2 Pet. 2.14.2 Pet 2:14 beguiling unſtable Soules to their utter undoing: like unto King Davids iiPſal. 144.8.Ps 144:8ſtrange Children, their mouth ſpeaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falſhood: Oh for but one winde, of the God ofkkExod. 20.5.Exod 20:5 jealouſie, to blow off theſe crawling Caterpillars and Frogs, that have too long kept croaking in the very Chambers of Princes, even into ſome dead Sea, never to flow more, for their return! Awake OllCant. 4.16.Song 4:16 North winde; and come ô South, and blow upon our garden, that the ſpices of repurged Religion may flow; after theſe weeds, theſe limbs of Antichriſt be univerſally eradicated, and pluck'd up by the very Roots. In the mean while, let us take up that of dying Jacob toward his two Sonnes Simeon and Levi, O my ſoule, comemmGen. 49.5, 6, 7.Gen 49:5Gen 49:6Gen 49:7 not thou into their ſecret, unto their aſſembly mine honour be not thou united.

The next judgement that I ſhall mention in Aegypt is, their blacke and palpable darkneſſe, Exod. 10.21. And doth not their Doctrine ofnnThom. 2a. 2ae. qu. Art. 5, 6, &c. S…d nihil aliud eſt, quam Diabolica foreign. Beza, ad 1 Rom. ver. 17. refuted by Arch-Bp. uſher, c. 6. ſect. 8, 9. p. 150. de ſucceſſione eccl. & by Bp. Daven. qu. 29 qua ſupra. & Calv. Inſt. l. 3. c. 2. ſect. 2, 3. Implicit Faith, of Divine Service, in anooConc. Trid. ſeſſ. 22. c. 8 & Teſt. Rhem. Annot. p. 463. & Matth. 21 6. The pretended inconvenience ſee in hiſt. of the Trent. Counc. l. 5. p. 460. But contrary to S. Paul. 1 Cor. 14.6.9.14. & Art. 24. of our Church.Matt 21:61 Cor 14:61 Cor 14:91 Cor 14:14 unknown, known, &c. reſemble p. 51this? To which is added, the denying of the uſe of the holy Scriptures to the Laity; leſt pearles (forſooth) ſhould be caſt before Swine, and holy things to Dogs: By which practiſe, they deale like to the Philiſtins, 1 Sam. 13.19. who put down all ſmiths in Iſrael, leſt the Hebrews ſhould make themſelves ſwords and ſpeares, or as that Bungler, in Plutarch, who having with his coale ſcraped out the figure of an Hen, in a moſt ill-favoured and miſhapen ſort; was forced to keep one ſtanding by, to drive away all living ones, leaſt they ſhould ſhame his draught: in like ſort, they keep off the Vulgar from the ſearching of the Scriptures; leſt they with the Bereans, ſearchingppAct. 17.11.Acts 17:11 andqq1 Theſſ. 5.21.1 Thess 5:21 proving their Traditions, and vaine inventions, by this touchſtone; ſhould not onelyonly have them all deſerted with ſcorn; but themſelves, (the impoſers) derided, for their blockiſh phanſies, yea abhorred, [probably] orrrMatth. 23.13.Matt 23:13 ſhutting of their poore ſoules up, under ſuch black ignorance; more palpable and more dangerous, than that darkneſſe of Aegypt, that might bessExod. 10.21.Exod 10:21 felt.

To the judgement of Lightening and Haile, Exod. 9.23, 24. I parallel the innumerable Excommunications and Anathema's, that from the mountttDeut. 11.29.Deut 11:29 Ebal of their Trent Conventicle, even with Bell, Book and Candle, they ſend forth flaſhing in the faces even of Kings and Princes themſelves, who may perchance refuſe the good Oſtlerſhip of his HolinesuuVid. D. Scl. ad 2 Theſſ. ſtirrup: or a buſſe forſooth, of his greaſy Toe. Vah Lucifer!

But laſtly, to that of**Exod. 7 19.Exod 7:19 blood andxxExod. 9.23.Exod 9:23 Thunder, (for I will now joyn theſe two together) what is more like, than that accurſed doctrine of theirs, teaching theyyVide Arch-B. Uſher exampling this & refuting it zealouſty, in ſerm. upon 1 Cor. 10.17. p. 44, 45, 46, 47, &c. Before the Commons Houſe of Parliament.1 Cor 10:17 murthering of Prince and people: nor are their tongues longer then their hands; witneſſe the Records of the infinite Golgatho's and Acheldama's, p. 52that the Tyranny of that man of ſin hath cauſed in the Chriſtian world; making the chanels of whol ſtreets to run in the color of the red Sea; or as the purple waters ofzzIſa. 15.9.Isa 15:9 Dimon, ſtreaming all with blood; Loe, even Kings have been ſeen to wallow in their gore-blood, ſhed by their deſperate Aſſafines:aaSee D. Rayn. p. 664. concluſ 5. againſt Hart. Ignat. Loyola Fundat or Jeſuit Chemnit. in exam. Conc. Trid. initio, de iis item ſcripſit Maffeius rebellions, ſeditions and combuſtions, in all Chriſtian Kingdomes have been raiſed by the fiery ſpirits of the diſloyall^b Ignatians.

That cruell Phlebotomy in the maſſacre of France is not to beccNullu [ſimile,] ſaevitiae exemplum in tota Antiquitate reperire, circiter ſexagint a millia hominum circa illud tempus trucidata, &c. Natalis Comes. parallel'd, by any example, in all antiquity of former times; when there were about ſixty thouſand ſlaine, and yet that Romiſh horſeleach ſtill cryed out, Give, give, and was not ſatisfied: And God be pleaſed to chaine up that wildeddPſal. 80.13.Ps 80:13 boare, from having power to rage in the like nature, (even now) among our diſtreſſed brethren in Ireland; where (as we are informed eradications againſt the State, Laws, King dome, Religion it ſelf, are endeavored, by conſpiracies, Rebellions, and all hoſtile Machinations: May the God even the father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the father ofee2 Cor. 1.3.2 Cor 1:3 mercies and the God of all comfort,ffJob. 5.12.Job 5:12 diſappoint the devices,ggIſa 37.27.Isa 37:27 blaſt the projects, and nullifie the power of the enemy; or give the oppreſſedhhHeb. 10.36.Heb 10:36 patience, andii1 Chron. 28.7.1 Chr 28:7 conſtancy, to beare up under thatkk1 Pet. 4.12.1 Pet 4:12 fiery tryall, of which they are in danger; Ariſe O Lord, make bare their own arme, Iſa. 52.10. breake thou the ſpeare, and ſtop up the way before the cruell, Pſal. 46.9. & Pſal. 35.3.

To conclude; to the judgement of thunder, I will liken the**Flectere ſinequeo ſuperos, Acheronta movebo, Virgil. Acheronticall Powder-plot, as upon this day; when in thirty ſix barrels of powder, there was a great brewing of death, tunned up, for the deſtruction of the three Eſtates of this whole Kingdome: an example beyond all examples of ages paſt; and for the hainouſneſſe thereof, hardly credible, in the generation p. 53to come; For now, by a crack or helliſh thunder were King, and Prince, and Peers, and the whole repreſentative Body of the Commons expected (to uſe the Prophets expreſſion, Iſa. 9.18.) to mount up like the lifting up of ſmoake; in which there could be imagined no mercy; unleſſe ſo totall and ſo bigge a deſtruction had in the [ſuddennes] the reof, found a kinde of mercy.

I read in thellFlorus l. 2. c. 6. Romane ſtory of a great maſſacre of the Romane Nobility at Canna (but an obſcure village of Apulia) to the groaning of the State, for ſo fatall a loſſe; but this was in open hoſtility, young Hannibal no way brooking an oppoſition: OurmmVerſlegan, c. 5. p. 130. out of William of Malmbsbury. own Chronicles likewiſe mention an overthrow of three hundred of the Britiſh Nobility ſlain at once upon Salisbury plains, by the treacherous deviſe of the Saxons, whoſe King Hengiſtus comming without thoughts of Peace (though he pretended it) to meet Vortiger, King of the Britains at the ſame time, and giving them their watchword, which was this, [Nem eowr ſeaxes] take you Seaxes, (a kinde of crocked Knife, from which ſome think, the Saxons took their name) at the banquet there appointed, ſlew the Nobility and impriſoned their King; But this was likewiſe, in the times of Civill diſcords and inteſtine Wars.

But for miſcreants, in the time of peace, to make themſelves ready for warre, and to pile up a whole Kingdome into one corner, as one faggot to be conſumed in one flame at once! Oh treaſon unheard of! Oh act imparallel'd; Oh Lucifer out-devil'd! ſurely, as thennFlorus, l. 2. c. 4. Hiſtorian ſaith, of the Gauls of Inſubria under the Alps; Animi illis [ferarum] erant, theirooPſal 5 6.Ps 5:6 inward parts were very violent and fierce, as the wilde beaſts of the foreſt; or asppMaginns, Ceograph indeſcrip. Galliae. Maginus, of the Gauis in generall, [Ignea] illis mens; Their mind and heart p. 54like to the mountain Aetna, boyled with the [fire] of malice, as if it had feamed out flakes of Hell, ere they came into it: And well may we here reſume that, which was ſaid of Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.5, 6, 7. theſe Romiſh Impoſtors are brethren in iniquity; inſtruments of cruelty are in their habitations; in their anger they ſlew a man, curſed be their anger, for it was cruell; Divide them O Lord, divide them in Jacob, and ſcatter them in Iſrael; or rather [out] of our Iſrael; Oh that the Lord would remove, but even this one Plague from us!

And thus have I made an end of my parallel, between the Aegyptian judgements, and the Impoſtures of Papiſtry: By all which laid together, we may cauly diſcover, what a [plaguy] Religion that of Popery is; or rather indeed, that their faith is nought but faction, nor their Religion but Rebellion, and murthering of Kings, &c. If any man then longs within himſelfe to get a Souls infection; let him but joyn iſſue with theſe doctrines and practiſes; he ſhall be ſure to be ſped; even as ſurely as thoſe ſhips, that pretended to ſaile to Ophir for gold, were ſplit in ſunder,qq1 King 22 48.1 Kgs 22:48 at Ezion-Geber, and miſcarried.

And thus farre of the Enemies, from whoſe deadly conſpiracy we were freed, this day.

The next head of our application, was the manner of our deliverance, How; to which we may joyn the time, When, alſo it was: And the ſtory or relation thereof ſheweth us it to have been in the very height of danger, and by a very weak and improbable means: the danger was, at the very foreign, and perfection; ſo that from a match ready fired, we received a matchleſſe deliverance: Cum [duplicantur] lateres, venit Moſes, is the Hebrew Proverb, God ſent not a deliverer to Iſrael in Aegypt, till their bricks were [doubled:] mans extremity, is Gods opportunity; when p. 55the time of trouble is moſt [needfull,] then eſpecially, is the Lord a very [rrPſal. 46.1.Ps 46:1 preſent] helpe; even as he was upon this day, when there wanted nothing, but the very act of execution, to our certain ruine; Nor had Gods glory been ſo much magnified, had not the danger been ſo farre heightened.

And for the [manner] of it; it was onelyonly by the delivery of a**By. Carleton. Letter, written in a darke expreſſion; and delivered with not over much care or regard, by a Page or Lacquay, croſſing the ſtreet, to the Lord Monteagle: Which letter being preſented to that Prince, who had more than an Eagles perſpicacity, (yea, though perched on a mount) to ſpy out the treaſon; the Lord (to give that King the honour of ſo ſtrange a diſcovery, though he could have done it by other means) now laid it open, by his wiſe conjectures; So are the wickedſſ2 Sam. 15.31. & 17.14. & Rom. 1.22. foreign.2 Sam 15:312 Sam 17:14Rom 1:22 befooled, often, in the ripenes of their deepeſt projects; and defeated in the maturity of their proudeſt and their vaſteſt hopes: For as the Barbarians ſeing a Viper actually faſtened upon Saint Paul's hand, expected each moment, histtAct. 28.6. Ver. 5.Acts 28:6 falling down dead, even ſuddenly; yet he only with one ſhaking of his hand, diſappointed their thoughts; even ſo eaſily can, yea did that God, (uuAct. 27.23.Acts 27:23 whoſe we are, and whom we ſerve) blaſt the hopes of this daies moſt infernall and diabolicall Treaſon.

And laſtly, for the [author] of the deliverance: we muſt needs take up that of the Pſalmiſt and ſay, Pſal. 124.1, 2, &c. If it had not been the [Lord] who was on our ſide, now may Iſrael, yea England, ſay; if if it had not been the [Lord] who was on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us; Then they had ſwallowed us up quicke, when their wrath was kindled againſt us; But loe! great deliverance he hath given unto his King, and hath ſhewen mercy to his Anoynted, unto our David, and unto his ſeed for evermore, p. 56Pſal. 18.50. Behold, our ſoule is eſcaped as a bird out of a**Pſal. 124.6, 7.Ps 124:6Ps 124:7 ſnare of the fowlers, the ſnare is broken and we are eſcaped; and bleſſed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth: O ſing**Pſal 47.6, 7.Ps 47:6Ps 47:7 prayſes unto our God, ſing prayſes, ſing prayſes unto our King, ſing prayſes: for God is the King of all the Earth, ſing yee praiſes with underſtanding: See alſo, Pſal. 118.24, 27, 8, 29. Pſal. 10….8, 15, 21, 31.

Beloved Chriſtians, leam ſay to you, on this occaſion, as Moſes ſometime unto Iſrael, Deut. 29.10, 11, &c. Yee ſland this day, all of you before the Lord your God, your litle ones, your wives, and whatſoever is neareſt or deareſt unto you; as yet youryyPſal. 144.12, 13, 14, 15.Ps 144:12Ps 144:13Ps 144:14Ps 144:15 Sons grow up in their youth, and your daughters are as the poliſhed corners of the Temple; your garners are full, affording all manner of ſtore, your ſheep bring forth thouſands and ten thouſands in your ſtreets; your Oxen are ſtrong to labour, there is no breaking in, nor going out, nor is there any complayning in your ſtreets: happy is that people, that is in ſuch a caſe; yea happy is that people, whoſe God is the Lord.

But now, doe but faigne a little to your ſelves; if the Lord had not beenon our ſide, but had delivered us all over to the mercileſſe cruelty of the Enemy; and ſuffered us to lye down under the bondage and ſlavery of Antichriſt: Then, inſtead of this bleſſed liberty of the Goſpell, and of the pure worſhip of God, and of thoſe happy opportunities we now (under ſo godly and Peerleſſe a Prince) enjoy; we might have been plundred in groſſe Superſtition and Idolatry; have been worſhippin, of Images, cringing to Croſſes, adoring of Crucifixes, blattering to a Saint, rumbling of our Beads, wandring in ſome Pilgrimage; all overrun with the rank weeds ofzzCol. 2.23.Col 2:23 wil-werſhip, angring our God of jealouſie, and irritating the juſt wrath of Heaven: or elſe all dragg'd unto racks, or ſtakes, or p. 57dungeons, to fire, and faggot, or other exquiſite tortures; the proper badges of that Romiſh Antichriſt, that man of ſinne; whereas that true Religion and Wifedome, that is from above, is firſt pure, then [aaJam. 3.17.Jas 3:17 Peaceable;] ſo farre from bloodines, as it is from Popery.

But thanks be unto the Lord for hisbb2 Cor. 9.15.2 Cor 9:15 unſpeakable Gift: He hath reſcued us from theccCol. 1.13.Col 1:13 power of a [more] than Aegyptian (becauſe a ſpirituall) darkneſſe: yea more than ſo, he hath broken theddPſal. 13.7.Ps 13:7 teeth of thatee2 Theſſ 2.3.2 Thess 2:3 Son of perdition himſelfe, andffJud. 6.Judg 6 chayned up his power: And as we have found out the beginning of his riſe; ſo we hope to ſee the end of his finall downfall. About the yearggJuel, Apol p. 29 vol. 16. ſix hundred and thirteen, ſhortly after the death of Saint Gregory (the great indeed, but humble Biſhop) who endeavoured to quell thehhVide Bullinger. ad Apoc. 9.Rev 9 inſolency of John the Prelate of Conſtantinople, for aſpiring to the title, Of iiSee Epiſt. of S. Gregory the great to Mauricius the Emperor, added to the hiſt. of Trent. Concil. p. 829, 830.univerſall Biſhop, and directly ſtyling him, The forerunner of Antichriſt, who ſhould dare to aſſume it unto himſelf: Yet Boniface the third moved nothing herewith, obtained of wicked Phocas (who, by the murthering of his Lord Mauricius, had got into the Empire,) that the Church of Rome might be called, and taken for the chiefe and head of all Churches; and himſelf to be ſty led the Univerſall Biſhop of the World: And in this, thus ambitious Boniface, had Antichriſt his foreign, the entrance upon his height: After that, through many cruelties and tyrannies, his foreign, or perfection, was in Gregory the ſeventh, commonly called Hildebrand, kkBy. Downam, Diatrib. de Antichriſt. contr. Leon. Leſſium.who firſt of all the reſt, about the year, 1073. ſubjected the Diadem to the Miter, exalting himſelfe above all that is called God, 2 Theſſ. 2.4. That is, above all Magiſtrates, both ſupream and ſubordinate;llOtho. Friſingenſis, lib. 9. c. 35. who by reaſon of the reſemblance in Majeſty, being Gods Vicegerents in authority upon Earth, are calledmmExod. 22, 28.Exod 22:28 Gods, p. 581 Cor. 88.5. though Eſſentially they are no Gods: And by the deviſe of the holynnSee M. Fuller his Hiſt. of the holy Warre elegantly penn'd. Warre at Hieruſalem, lurching the Patrimony of deluded Princes, (whom he had perſwaded to beare arms in that cauſe) in their abſence, to Saint Peters chaire; he advanced himſelf at length to ſo great an height, that his head grew giddy; and ſo thatooRev. 9.1. Stellam hanc omnes fere Neoterici interpretantur de Romano Vontiſice, ut Joachimus, Abbas Bulling, Gyffard, Dent. &c.Rev 9:1 ſtarre fell down from Heaven, to the earth; And ever ſince in the later times, hath this Antichriſt had his foreign, the remiſſion of his vigour, and his declination: And now how ſhould every zealous ſoule, who clearly and without diſſembling, wiſheth well to the Peace of this our Zion; take up that of Edom, in the day of Hieruſalem, and cryppPſal. 137.7.Ps 137:7 down with him, down with him, even to the ground? Loe this greatqqRev. 17.1.Rev 17:1 whore of Papacy is caſt upon her bed ofrrPſal. 41.3.Ps 41:3 languiſhing, and is ſick, we hope to death; ſo that ſhe ſhall never be able more to riſe up, nor with theſſRevel. 17.2.Rev 17:2 Wine of her ſpirituall, filthy fornications, to entoxicate the nations of the earth; ſo long, ſo rufully, already, made drunken by her; yea, the Lord Chriſt ſhall conſume thett2 Theſſ. 2.3.2 Thess 2:3 man of ſinn, with the ſpirit of his mouth, and deſtroy with the brightnes of his comming, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. yea even ſouuRevel. 22.20.Rev 22:20 come, Lord Jeſus, come quickly: And doe unto him, and unto all his complices, as unto the Midianites, as to**Pſal. 83.9, 10.Ps 83:9Ps 83:10 Siſera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kiſhon, which periſhed at Endor, they became as dung for the earth, &c. Yea, let God ariſe, and let hisxxPſal. 68.1, 2, &c.Ps 68:1Ps 68:2 Enemies be ſcattered, let them alſo that hate him fly before him, as ſmoake is driven away, ſo drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, ſo let the wicked periſh, at the preſence of God: but let the righteous be glad; let them rejoyce before God, yea, let them exceedingly rejoyce; let them ſing unto God, ſing praiſes unto his Name, and extoll him that rideth upon the Heavens, by his Name J A H, and rejoyce before him.

p. 59It is time to end: ſuffer a word of exhortation and I have done; I ſhall begin it, in the words of Ezra, cap. 9.13, 14. Seeing that thou our God, haſt given us ſuch a deliverance as this; as this, ſo emin…nt, ſo miraculous, ſo when we were high o deſtruction, and the very mouth of ruine gaped, and was open to devoure us; ſhould we again break thy Commandements? and joyn with the people of theſe abominations? wouldeſt thou not be angry with us, till thou hadſt conſumed us, ſo that there ſhould be no remnant, nor eſcaping? Ah my brethren, let us be awakned from our deadly ſecurity, from our ſinfull unthankfulnes; favours beſtowed raiſe up an expectation of obedience, and of a godly converſation, Mic. 6.8. As therefore the Heathens had their three Graces, (as inſeparable ſiſters) he one to give the benefit, the other to receive it, and the third to return it, and they painted them alwaies [young;] to the end, a benefit might be ever [freſh] in their remembrances:yyHeb. 13.22.Heb 13:22 ſo let us neverzzPſal. 137.5.Ps 137:5 forget this favour of all favours, this day, beſtowed upon this Land and Kingdome: Let us give up our ſelves, our ſoules and bodies, all that we are, or have, as a ſolemn, reallaaRom. 12.1.Rom 12:1 Sacrifice to thebbPſal. 18.46.Ps 18:46 God of our ſalvation, who hath done ſocc1 Sam. 12.24.1 Sam 12:24 great things for our ſoules: This, this alone is the way to continue his mercy and loving kindnes unto us, and ourddDeut. 4.40.Deut 4:40 poſterity for evermore; which God grant for the ſake of the Son of his love, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous; To whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit be all praiſe and glory, world without end, Amen.

FINIS.

p. 60ERRATA.

Reader, faults eſcaped in the Preſſe, and ſeemingly perverting the ſenſe, are thus to be corrected before thou read.

Page 1 li… 4. for prayer read praiſe, & l. 11. ibid. for boſome r. beſome, p. 5 l. 9. for he, r. the, p. 7. for neer r. never, p. 10. l. 7. for nigher r higher, p. 11. l. 26. for God, r. Gods, p. 17. l. 15. r. El-ſchaddal, and l. 28. ib r.threſh, p. 20, l 20. r. Matth. 5.18. p. 24. l. 29. for oppoſite r. appoſite, p. 30. l. 16. r. vellet. and after He, in the ſame line, ſupply, might: p. 31. l. 6. r. creezy, p. 32. l. 34. … yet, r. yea, p. 37. l. 22. for Warwick, r. Worceſter, p. 48. l. 7. for grea. r. grate, p. 49 l. 12 for never, r. neither, p, 46. l. 7. for eve, r. every, p. 50. l. 32. for known, r. tongue, p. 52. l. 27. for their, r. thine.

End of the text · William Sclater, Deborahs Prayer Against Gods Enemies (1642)