Commentary on Malachi, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verse 5
VERSE V.
And your eyes ſhall ſee it, and yee ſhall ſay, The Lord will be magnified upon the border of Iſrael.
ANd your eyes ſhall ſee it,] The ſecond witnes of Gods judgments upon Edom: the Church, her eyes ſhould ſee it: theſe God cals to give teſtimony of it; and that they ſhould bee witneſſes, without exception, he ſayth, they ſhould ſee: for one eye witnes is more then ten others, for it is a ſence nothing ſo ſoone deceived as the hearing; by it wee judge more certainely: that is, I have ſaid it, it ſhall be moſt certainely, my threatnings ſhall not bee in vaine, for your eyes ſhall ſee it; which, unleſſe I make my word good, cannot bee, and thou ſhalt be a witneſſe? that thou mayſt ſee, when no ſuch thing is befallen thee, that then I love thee: Seeing, after the Hebrew, is put for ſeeing with pleaſure and delight, when, or becauſe that comes to paſſe, we wiſhed: So here, and Mich. 7.10. Pſal. 54.7, & 35.21.
To this, not to the ſecond ſentence ſome adde, The border of Iſrael, and read, from the border, not upon; and ſo it is they being ſafe in their own coaſt and borders, ſhould thence behold the judgment of God, ſo manifeſt and perſpicuous they ſhould be, in the ruine and overthow of the wicked.
Doctr. The judgments God threatens againſt the wicked, hee certainly performs; his decrees for juſtice and puniſhment, are as certaine, as for mercy and bleſſings. So here, and Numb. 23.19. God is not a man, that he ſhould lye; neither the ſonne of man, that hee ſhould repent; hath he ſaid, and ſhall he not doe it; or hath he ſpoken, and ſhall he not make it good? 1 Sam. 15.29. And alſo the ſtrength of Iſrael will not lye, nor repent; for he is not a man, that he ſhould repent. Hoſea 13.14. Matth. 24.35. Iſa. 14.24.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe he is without all change himſelf, therefore his decrees. Mal. 3.6. Gen. 1.17. For he and his word are all one.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe he cannot be reſiſted. Iſa. 46.10. Rom. 9.19. For then he ſhould not be omnipotent; but another as ſtrong and mighty as he; but he is and none like him.
Doctrine. The Church and Children of God, may rejoyce at the deſtruction and fall of their enemies Mich. 7.10.
Doctrine. As God will have teſtimony from the wicked, of his judgements; ſo eſpecially will he have his Church and Children witneſſes of them: So here. Therefore did he in the ſight of Iſrael, lay ſo many plagues and judgments upon Aegypt, Pharaoh, and his people, and his ſmall deſtruction in their fight, they ſtanding upon the ſhoare, he and his Hoſt drowning in the Sea. Exod. 14. Hence is it, Pſal. 58.10. The righteous ſhall rejoyce, when he ſeeth the vengeance; he ſhall waſh his feet in the bloud of the wicked, and Pſal. 97.8. Sion heard, and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoyced, becauſe of thy judgments O Lord. Mich. 7.10.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe they might feare, and be affected with them, to grow better; and to reſtraine and reforme their wayes by them. If the judgments of men muſt effect ſuch a thing in them, Deut. 13.11. much more the judgments of God. And if the hearing of them, more the ſight, for this affecteth more, as to pitty and compaſſion, to joy and gladneſſe, to anger and wrath, ſo to ſorrow and diſlike.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe they might magnifie and praiſe him, his wiſedome, power, juſtice; as here: for though he wring it from the wicked, where it ſeemes to be without partiality, as not this; yet is this farre more acceptable to him, their praiſes as their prayers, for they are done willingly, cheerefully, ſincerely, all which he loves. Beſides, they are from thoſe he loves, and ſo the things better affected.
Ʋſe. To teach every one that is Gods, what is his duty, what he ought to doe; namely, not to ſhut his eyes at the judgments of God, but to open them wide, and to behold all his judgments. It is the part of children to obſerve all the workes of their fathers, that they may imitate ſome, and admire others; love them for ſome, and feare them for others; yea, their workes, whether they touch themſelves, or their fellow-brethren, or the hired ſervants: ſo is it the part of Gods children to obſerve all his workes, his meekneſſe, mercifulneſſe, goodneſſe, patience, and long ſuffering, to admire them, to imitate his bounty, care, providence, and riches in benefits towards them, to love him, his judgments, to feare him. If upon their brethren, to know they muſt looke for the ſame, as they hope for the goods and bleſſings, ſo expect the evill and correction. If upon hirelings, as they think God will deale farre better with them than the other. If he care for ſervants, more for ſonnes; ſo to think he will no leſſe ſpare them than ſervants, becauſe they thinke he loves them; his judgments then muſt they eſpecially look upon, and conſider. As children are ſpecially affected with their fathers anger, when it is but againſt ſervants or others; then they feare and tremble, ſeeke to pleaſe him, and to avoid ſuch things by which he is provoked, eſpecially when there is any good nature in them at all: ſo ought they, that as it is written of the Lion, that he trembles to ſee a Dog beaten before him; ſo if they have any alliance to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, they muſt ſee and feare, feare and flee when the wicked are ſmitten, more, when it is upon his owne who are in the Church, and of the Church, as David, Pſal. 119.120. My fleſh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am affraid of thy judgments. And 2 Sam. 6.9. And David was affraid of the Lord that day, and ſaid, How ſhall the Arke of the Lord come to me? And Act. 5.5, 11. And Ananias hearing theſe words fell downe, and gave up the Ghoſt, and great feare came on all them that heard theſe things. And great feare came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard thoſe things; not on as many as take no notice of the judgments of God at all, as not of other of his workes; but as they thinke all things fall out by naturall courſe or common ſkill, and providing and fore-caſt of men for good, ſo they thinke for evill; and as they are not affected with Gods bleſſings to love him, becauſe they are common; ſo not with his judgments, but onelyonly when they feele them.
Your eyes ſhall ſee it.] Edom hated Iſrael, enemy unto her, whoſe deſtruction as they ſought, and had rejoyced at, ſo Iſrael would have beene glad to have ſeene Edom's, and for feare was ready to faint, as if they ſhould never ſee it. The Lord deſcends to her infirmity, and aſſures her, ſhe ſhall ſee it.
Doctr. The Lord he often deſcends to the infirmities of his, to let them ſee their deſires upon their enemies, and to ſee their deſtruction as here, ſo Pſal. 37.8, 9.10. Ceaſe from anger, and forſake wrath; fret not thy ſelfe in any wiſe to doe evill, for evill-doers ſhall be cut off; but thoſe that waite upon the Lord, they ſhall inherit the earth: for yet a litle while and the wicked ſhall not be; yea, thou ſhalt diligently conſider his place, and it ſhall not be. Pſal. 59.10. The God of my mercy ſhall prevent me, God ſhall let me ſee my deſire upon mine enemies. And Pſal. 54.7. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble, and mine eye hath ſeene his deſire upon mine enemies. Iſrael ſaw Egypts ruine, the Jewes Hamans and their enemies; Daniel his accuſers, Dan. 6. Peter, Herods, Act. 12.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe he might ſtrengthen and confirme the weake faith of his children, which would often ſtagger in this kind without theſe ſtayes, as the beſt have done upon the ſight of the proſperity of the wicked, as Davids, Pſal. 37. and their ſuffering at their hands: Therefore God deales with them as Parents with their children, when they are not able to goe alone and of themſelves, they have treſſels and formes to goe along by; ſo God affords theſe helps.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe he would aſſwage and appeaſe their impatient minds that can hardly be perſwarded God is appeaſed towards them, and at one with them, after he had ſcourged and afflicted them by the hand of the wicked, till they ſee his hand turned upon the wicked; the rather, becauſe God ſaith, Pſal. 81.13.14. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Iſrael had walked in my waies, I ſhould ſoone have ſubdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adverſaries. As then a father, to ſhew his child he is friends with him againe, is content to throw the rod into the fire, and to burne it before his eyes and face: ſo God, to ſhew him pacified againe towards his people, is content in their fight to plague thoſe he hath puniſhed them by before.
But this muſt be underſtood not as a thing that God alwayes doth, but as it is ſaid of ſignes, that he gave ſome, though not many and uſuall, leſt men ſhould depend on them; and be out of heart when they want them; yet ſome, for the confirming of the feeble, and converting of the unbeleevers: ſo he doth not alwayes ſhew them the confuſion of the wicked, their enemies in this life, becauſe he would not have them to looke for it, and to inure them to goe without a ſtay, and to ſwim as it were without helpe, without blathers; and yet ſometimes, leſt they ſhould faint when they ſee the rod of the wicked reſt upon the lot of the righteous, and never turne againe upon their oppreſſors: but if ever he deny it, he gives them another prop, to aſſure them they ſhall ſee it, though not now, when they ſhalt judge with him the world and Angels.
Ʋſe 1 To admoniſh the wicked enemies of Gods people, (if they would take notice of it) that oppoſe themſelves, and perſecute the people of God, to give over in time, and not to doe it with ſuch deſpight and malice, as uſually they doe, leſt God comfort his ſervants in their confuſion, and recompence unto them that they have done unto the Church, and meaſure to them as they have meted; and having beene fire to them, that is, to purge them, he extinguiſh them: for though they have them never ſo ſure, as they ſuppoſe, in their clutches, yet God can free them as a bird out of the ſnare of the Fowler, and take them in their net, they thought to have taken others his people in: who would have believed it? at leaſt, Haman himſelfe would never have given credit to it, that Mordecai ſhould ever have ſeene him hang upon the tree that he had prepared in his owne houſe for Mordecai; or that the Jewes that he had encloſed by vertue of the Kings Letters, as Deere in a toyle, ſhould ever have had their will upon his houſe, and ſee that end of his ſonnes that after they came unto; yet ſo it was, a thing ſo unlikely God brought to paſſe, even he, 2 Pet. 2.9. He knows how to deliver his out of trouble, yea, and how to lay trouble upon thoſe that trouble them, to the refreſhing and comfort of his; who would have believed, at leaſt not our Nobles, Knights, and Eſquires, with their dependants, who are now forth comming, with hundreths more of the ſaid aſſociates? If the day before it had beene told them, that the Church and people of God ſhould have ſeene them in hold, and ſee them come to their juſt reward, to the ruine of themſelves and their houſes, when they intended all their deſtructions, and to have ſubverted Church and Common-wealth: Or if it had beene told the Pope at Rome, whence this came, who would have beene ready to have done as Sixtus Quintus in his Conſiſtory, when Clement the Monk and bloody Parricide had ſlaine Henry 3. King of France, 1589. a Catholick King, his eldeſt ſonne; did not puniſh it, but excuſe it; not that onelyonly, but defend it; not that alone, but praiſed it, and that with that choiſe and excellent compariſon from the birth of Chriſt, Heb. 1.5. commanding Heavens to open, and receive therein the Parricide, and ſhut out the other, yea, and denyed him the prayers of their Synagogue, yea, Princely Funerall, yea, honeſt buriall; preparing the way to Heaven, not by the blood of Chriſt, but by the blood of Kings; not by the Croſſe, but by a murdering knife. See the Martyrs of the Romiſh Church, with what aſhes it is increaſed. I have ſtept aſide; but to come home, if it had beene told him, I ſay, and all his ſlaves, and our fugitives, and all his in other Countries, who were not without the knowledge at leaſt of theſe things, they would not have believed; but ſee it is even ſo. 2 Pet. 2. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reſerve the unjuſt unto the day of Judgment to be puniſhed. It were well for their owne good they would be warned at length, when they ſee God fights for us every where, and watcheth over us in every place, and brings all their purpoſes to nought. It were better if they, as the people enemies of the Church, Eſter 8.17. became Jewes, the feare of the Jewes falling upon them; ſo they could become Proteſtants, and renounce their Antichriſts; our feare falling upon them, when they ſee they are not onelyonly ſo bloody as Haman, but ſo bootleſſe, before ſuch a thing befall them.
Ʋſe 2 This may ſerve to cheere up and comfort thoſe who are the Lords in the middeſt of dangers and troubles, they are never ſo farre from God, but God may yet ere they dye or be overthrowne, relieve them by temporall deliverance, and ſend thoſe packing before them, who thinke to make a ſpoile of them, and let them ſee the miſerable and wretched ends of thoſe who make full reckoning to ſeeke their blood, and ruinate their ſtate. How many diſtreſſed ſoules in the dayes of Queene Mary, thinke we, in this Land lay looking dayly for death, when God by the death of one made an end of that bloody time, that had cut off the lives of ſo many of Gods ſervants, and let them ſee even the ruine of ſuch as made full account of theirs. What hope had the Iſraelites, but to be even eaten up by the Egyptians, and to be cut off, as one man; when God in the turning of a hand overturned them that even opend their mouths, and ſwallowed them up quick, and overwhelmed them before their eyes in the Red Sea. Little thought Daniel, when he was caſt into the Lions den, that he ſhould ſee his accuſers devoured there before him. And very unlikely it was that Peter ſhould have lived to have ſeene Herod conſumed with wormes, and eaten up with lice, when Herod had him forth comming, and had killed James before him, Act. 12. And ſmall probability, as we may now diſcerne, was there that we or Kings, &c. ſhould have eſcaped the cruell deſignes of our bloody Edomites the Papiſts, when their barbarous plot was come to the ripeneſſe, and had beene concealed ſo many Moneths: ſmall preſumption was there that our eyes ſhould ſee the times as they are now, and the ruine of them who were ſet on murder and blood: yet may we uſe that Pſalme 48.8. As we have heard, ſo we have ſeene in the City of the Lord of Hoſts, in the City of our God, God will eſtabliſh it for ever. And with David, Pſal. 54.7. For hee hath delivered me out of all trouble, and mine eye hath ſeene his deſire upon mine enemies; that we may learne to cleave to the Lord who hath thus fought for us, and let us ſee his ſalvation, and ſay as the three reſolved ſervants of God, Dan. 3.17, 18. If it be ſo, our God whom we ſerve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King: But if not, be it knowne unto thee O King, that we will not ſerve thy gods, nor worſhip thy golden Image which thou haſt ſet up. So not to ſhrink from him, but ſay, we know our God is able to deſtroy our enemies before our face; but whether he doe or no, we will depend ever upon him.
Your eyes ſhall ſee it.] The Edomites, when the Jewes were ſurpriſed by the Caldeans, ſtood looking on, and laughing at their deſtruction, Obad. 12.13. Now God telleth them they ſhould be ſerved with the ſame ſawce themſelves, the Jewes ſhould ſee their calamities that ſhould befall them, and be comforted in their fall, who rejoyced before over them in theirs.
Doctr. It is a juſt and uſuall thing with God in the generall, as to recompenſe a man as he hath done with others, as he ſaid Jud. 1.7. and to meaſure as is meted, Matth. 7.2. ſo in this particular, when they rejoyce at the fall of other men, to make other glad at their fall. So was it told Edom, Obad. verſe 15. For the day of the Lord is neare upon all the Heathen; as thou haſt done, it ſhall be done unto thee, thy reward ſhall returne upon thine owne head. And Prov. 24.17, 18. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he ſtumbleth, leſt the Lord ſee it, and it diſpleaſe him, and he turne away his wrath from him.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe he hath made a law for the Magiſtrate, executing his juſtice and judgments to doe ſo, as Levit. 24.19, 20. and that not for the deed onelyonly, but for the endeavours, when the end of them are made manifeſt, and he muſt not pitty him. Deut. 19.19.21. Now if he make a law for others, he will not break it himſelfe, when it is fitting and comely for him; for ſome things befit him not, no more (ſaith one) than a Countrey-mans coate becomes a King; but this being not of that nature, he will doe it.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe of his owne reaſon to the Judge, Deut. 19.19, 20. no way ſo excellent to prevent much evill and oppreſſion, and hurting of others; for men would abſtaine, not in love to others, not for love of righteouſneſſe, but for feare of this law of retribution. Beſides, it is a ſpeciall meanes to break off ſinne, at leaſt that for feare of more in the party ſo offending.
Object. Then you taught us falſe doctrine before, when you taught we may rejoyce at the deſtruction of the wicked; for if this be juſt with God, then is not that lawfull with men.
Solut. This is not contrary to that, becauſe there was ſpoken of publick enemies, here either of no enemies, or private enemies, ſuch as diſlike us, and we them, for ſome ſiniſter reſpect. As it is lawfull to kill a publick enemy of a State, but not a mans private enemies; ſo of rejoycing againſt the enemies of God and his truth, not their owne: Therefore ſaith Solomon, Prov. 24.17. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he ſtumbleth.
Ʋſe 1 Then may men expect for this, retribution from the Lord, upon many whom they ſee oppreſſing, undermining, diſgracing, and triumphing over others, when they have wrought their fall often by indirect and vile meanes. Hiſtories of all times are full of examples, beſides the Scripture; one we may obſerve of Conſtantine, ſonne of the Empreſſe Irene, who put out the eyes of Nicephorus, and by retribution from God, had his owne eyes put out by the cruelty of his Mother, the very ſame day ſixe yeares, or there abouts. The like of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, that it was as in the ſame day that they crucified Chriſt; Lege Euſeb. l. 3. c. 5. fine, ſo it was by the ſame men that put him to death, the Romans, as Baſil obſerves. They are living who can remember in former Princes times, Henry 8, Edward 6, Qu. Mary, how juſtly God did repay our Nobility, when they cut off one anothers heads. The like may be expected in future time, as they have done, ſhall be done unto them; nay, the like we have a comfortable aſpect, or may have, to ſee how God juſtly doth make that true, 1 King. 21.19. And thou ſhalt ſpeake unto him ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord thy God, Haſt thou killed, and alſo taken poſſeſſion? and thou ſhalt ſpeak unto him, thus ſaith the Lord, In the place where dogs lickt the blood of Naboth, ſhall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. When our Papiſts had thought our blood ſhould have beene licked up, theirs ſhall be, God holding his owne law, doing to them, as they would have done to us; or ſeeing that is not done in the ſtrict juſtice that God requireth, we may fearefully expect, for this ſinne of ours, this retribution from the Lord, as in 1 King. 20.42. And he ſaid unto him, Thus ſaith the Lord, Becauſe thou haſt let goe out of thine hand a man whom I appointed for utter deſtruction, therefore thy life ſhall goe for his life, and thy people for his people.
Ʋſe 2 To teach every man to take heed how he carries himſelfe to others, how he injures and oppreſſeth them, and to doe but that to others, the like he would have others to doe and receive from them. The rule of nature is, Quod tibi non vis, alteri ne feceris; and that of Chriſt, Matth. 7.12. All things, whatſoever ye would that men ſhould doe to you, doe ye even ſo to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets: Of which Tertul. God hath meaſured out my actions by my will, that I ſhould not doe that unto others, which I would not have done unto my ſelfe; and ſhould doe to others, as I would have others to doe to me. And if that of James, will and ſhall be true, Jam. 2.13. He ſhall have judgement without mercy, that ſheweth no mercy, and mercy rejoyceth againſt judgment; how much more extream cruelty ſhall be inflicted upon them, who carry themſelves cruelly to others? men ſhould take heed then how they abuſe their power and authority, to the oppreſſing and wronging of the weak; their ſkill and cunning to circumvent and beguile the ſimple; their countenance and credit to uſe men at their pleaſure, leſt God meet with them, as he did the Edomites.
Ʋſe 3 In the particular, to take heed how that he inſult not over the fall of his enemy, leſſe of another) leſt God give them the like occaſion by ſo caſting us downe; It is that which Solomon adviſed, Prov. 24.17, 18. It is a crime which Job laboureth to cleare himſelfe of, Job. 31.29, 30. If I rejoyced at the deſtruction of him that hated mee; or lift up my ſelf when evill found him, neither have I ſuffered my mouth to ſin, by wiſhing a curſe to his ſoule. Teaching that a man ſhould be free, not onelyonly from outward ſhew, but from inward touch of joy: the firſt is eaſie, partly by nature, and partly by cunning, and hypocriſie, to cover it at leaſt from a multitude or many; but the other is hard, and the harder more commendable, more to be laboured for; the outward odious to man, ſo the inward to God, which look not in facie, but in corde, as Cyprian: And a ſpeciall meanes to make him turne his hands upon us. Avoyd it, labor againſt it, if it ſteale upon us, check it, repell and caſt it out.
And yee ſhall ſay, the Lord will be magnified,] The ſecond thing in this verſe, the magnifying of God, the thing is a ſpeciall effect, which Gods judgments work in his people & Church, differing from the wicked and Gentiles; for they ſee it, and but jibe and jeſt onelyonly at the Edomites, as they had at Iſrael; but Iſrael ſees it, and magnifies God for it: the words are originally ſomewhat otherwiſe, the Lord doth magnifie himſelfe, true, for ſo he doth, in deſtroying theſe; magnifies and honors himſelfe, and they religiouſly ſo confeſſe it, and celebrate his magnificence and greatneſſe for delivering themſelves, his Church and people, and deſtroying their enemies: hence we may obſerve two things and leſſons.
Doct. It is the glory of God to deliver his people, and deſtroy their enemyes, it is that which doth honor and magnifie him much, and ſpreadeth his fame farre and nigh. So it is here, and Iſay 30.18. And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you; for the Lord is a God of judgment, bleſſed are all they that waite for him. Dan. 9.15, 19. And now O Lord our God, that haſt brought the people forth, out of the Land of Aegypt, with a mightty hand, and haſt gotten thee renowne, as at this day, we have ſinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord heare, O Lord forgive, O Lord hearken, and doe, deferre not for thine own ſake, O my God, for thy City and thy people, are called by thy name, Pſalm. 74.10, 11. O God, how long ſhall the adverſary reproach, ſhall the enemy blaſpheme thy name for ever? Why withdraweſt thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy boſome.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe he is their God and King, theſe his people and ſubjects. Pſal. 74.12. For God is my King of old, working ſalvation in the midſt of the earth. It were a ſhame and diſhonour for a Prince to ſuffer his ſubjects, to lye in miſery & diſtreſſe, ſpecially if he be able to releeve them; è contra, it ſpreads his fame farre and neare, when he ſuccoreth and ſaveth them.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe they are rebels, 'tis the princes honor to overthrow them.
They ſhall ſay, the Lord doth magnifie himſelfe.] That is, they ſhall give the honor of their deliverance, and the glory of their preſervation to God, when the enemy is deſtroyed, and they ſafe.
Doctr. The people of God in all deliverance and preſervation from what danger ſoever, by what meanes or howſoever, ought to give the praiſe and glory of it to God; ſo here taught what to doe. Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me. Hoſea 14.3. Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, we will not ride upon horſes, neither will we ſay any more to the worke of our hands, ye are our Gods; for in thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy. Examples of Moſes and Miriam, with the people. Exod. 15. Of Barak and Deborah, Judg. 5. Of Eſter and the Jewes, Eſter 8. of Hezekiah. Iſa. 38.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe it is he alone, who is the deliverer and Saviour of his people: meanes he often affords them, and meanes they uſe and muſt, leſt they tempt God; but that meanes are not effectuall, it is ever from him; elſe, why one and the ſame meanes bring to ſome deliverance, to others none? Hence Pſal. 144.10. It is he that giveth ſalvation to Kings, who delivereth David his ſervant from the hurtfull ſword.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe in this as in all other benefits, it is the high way to obtaine moe and new deliverances; when we pay the old we run on a new ſcore: as men are incouraged to helpe when they receive their juſt glory, for that is paſt; ſo God is drawne on, as it were, to beſtow new.
Ʋſe 1 This ſerves to reprove the common practiſe of men, who are ready to give, and doe give the glory of all their deliverances to others then God, and not to him; If victory in war, they aſcribe it to the wiſdome and power of ſuch and ſuch, and oft-times ready to make war among themſelves for the honour of the day, when God is never thought on. In other preſervation or eſtabliſhment, to the wiſdome of their graveſt and experienced Senate; from ſickneſſe to Phyſitians and ſuch other meanes: not at all to the Lord, never magnifie nor praiſe him; God ſeldome made mention of, or only curſorily, and becauſe of thoſe who are preſent, for which cauſe he oft taketh from them their meanes, that either they may periſh in new dangers, or elſe more ſenſibly diſcerne that it is he that gives deliverance.
Ʋſe 2 To inſtruct all and every one, to give the glory and praiſe of all their deliverances, whatſoever, unto God; and to magnifie his name for them. Particular deliverances from danger, and ſickneſſe, and ſuch like; every man muſt magnifie God and his Name for it: our firſt ſeeking in danger ſhould be to him, and he ſhould be the firſt, we ſhould praiſe for the deliverance; not as many, that doe both ſend, firſt for the Phyſitian, before they ſend up to God, agree with him, before with God; and praiſe him oftner to men, then ever they did God: But it ſhould not be ſo, he ſhould be magnified principally and chiefely. Yea every one for our generall deliverances, of which we are all partners, ſhould magnifie him of which we may ſay, as Jer. 23.7, 8. Behold, the dayes come ſaith the Lord, that they ſhall no more ſay, the Lord liveth, which brought up the Children of Iſrael out of the Land of Aegypt; But the Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the ſeed of the houſe of Iſrael out of the North Country, and from all Countreyes, whither I had driven them, & they ſhall dwel in their own Land. Many are the deliverances, we have had, and this nation, from the tyranny of Romes Church at the death of Queen Mary, from the invincible Navy 88. from the Inſurrection of the Earles of Northumberland and Weſtmerland, from the treaſon of the Duke of Norfolke and Queene of Scots, from that of Babington, and his fellowes, from Arden, Somervile, Parry, Cullen, Lopes, Squire, and ſuch like: yet now to this that it may be ſaid, the Lord lives, that hath delivered his Church, from any one or all the former, but from the cruell, bloody and deſperate unmatchable plot of our wicked papiſts; which is the Lords only, becauſe the cariage of the thing was his, that he would have it wholly aſcribed to him. Therefore we may ſay, the Lord hath magnified himſelfe many wayes, but now he hath ſurmounted them all: we ought then to magnifie him, and give the glory of it to him, not in word only, but for ever in deed; The Parliament, King and Commons, to make lawes more for his glory, againſt Sabboth breaking, Oathes, Drunkenneſſe, Uſury, Oppreſſion, to further his Church, and to remove ſtumbling blockes: The Judges to execute them,Deus exonerans onerat. Bern. without ſparing and partiallity: All to obey God more conſtantly, and man for God: For diſburthening us of the danger and feare, he burthens us with more obedience and thankfulneſſe: This all ſhould doe, yet if it be not in generall, let every one for himſelf and his family, as Joſhua, and mourn for the ſinnes of the time, God will marke him when he brings a generall Plague, Ezechiel 9. In times of danger, many are petentes, few promittentes, moſt few perſolventes. But we muſt not onelyonly aſke deliverance, but promiſe new obedience, and perform our vows, elſe let us looke for that, Mat. 23.37, 38.