Commentary on Obadiah, Verse and commentary 7
Ver. 7.
All the men of thy confederacy, have brought thee even to the border: The men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed againſt thee: They that eat thy bread, have laid a wound under thee, There is no underſtanding in them.
The third confidence of Edom diappointed.
This point is Rhetorically amplified,
1. In the perſons in whom Edom truſted,
2. In the failing of them.
The perſons are called:
1. Men of their confederacy, ſuch as had entred into League with them, ſaying your friends ſhall be our friends, your enemies ſhall be our enemies, we will engage our ſtrength mutually with you, we will ſeek our good in the common good of both; as in the Proverbs, one purſe, one Army.
2. The men that were at peace with her, that had promiſed them love from themſelves, and all offices of humanity.
3. They that eat thy bread: Such as did communicate with them in the neceſſities of life, as Iudas did with Chriſt, Commenſales convivae, Table Gueſts.
Their failing is alſo amplified.
1. They have brought thee even to the border that is, whilſt Edom truſted to their help, they came forth of their ſtrong holds to meet with their enemies, in the borders of their territories, who but for their truſt in them, might have been more ſafe in their own Fortreſſes. For truſting to their help, whom they found perfidious, they left their habitations, and ſtrong Caſtles empty to keep the enemy from coming upon their borders: whilſt their falſe friends expoſe them to invaſion, and their gates to direption, in their abſence. Relinquentes & prodentes.
Thus they gave their enemies advantage againſt them to keep them from returning again into their ſtrong holds.
2. They have deceived thee, and prevailed againſt thee. For they that were truſted as friends to Edom, betrayed them to their enemies, and fought againſt them, and prevailed.
3. They have layed a wound under thee, that is, they have ſecretly conveied under thee an inſtrument to wound thee; therefore others read poſuerunt inſidias ſubter te. Declaring how cunningly their falſe friends had concealed their malice, & how dangerouſly they had layed their plot, for the overthrow of Edom, ſo neer as under them, even to blow them up. Like our Powder Traytors; for they layed wounds under the Parliament-houſe, inſtruments and means to wound and to deſtroy all.
And therefore he concludes of Edom, There is no underſtanding in him, that is Edom was blinded, and be fooled with this vain confidence, to truſt in the perfidious friendſhip of their falſe friends.
From this place theſe Doctrines ariſe.
1. It was Edoms ſin againſt the firſt Commandement to put confidence in man, and therefore God puniſheth them by thoſe whom they truſted. From whence ariſeth this Doctrine,
That God puniſheth one ſin by another: The ſinne of injury and oppreſſion of Iſrael, by the ſinne of falſe confidence in men.
2. Conſider againſt whom Edom offended, even againſt Iſrael their brother; for was not Eſau Iacobs brother? therefore God puniſheth their perfidiouſneſſe to their brother, with the perfidiouſneſſe of their friends to them. From whence we conclude,
That God requiteth the wicked with the ſame meaſure which they have meated to others.
3. Whereas the friends and confederates of Edom, turn enemies and Traytors to them, we conclude, that
There can be no true peace, nor bonds of love between wicked men.
4. From all theſe Antecedents we may conclude, that thoſe who truſt in men, have no underſtanding.
1. Doctrine, God puniſheth one ſin by another.
Edom firſt ſinned againſt the ſecond Table of the Law, in wrong and violence, and then he ſinned in vain confidence in man, againſt the firſt Table, and God by this ſevere ſin puniſhed the firſt.
It is the manner of Sathan, after a ſpeeding temptation to one ſin, to ſuggeſt another to hide, or to defend and beare up the other, our lying comes in to conceale fraud, as in the caſe of Ananias and Saphira.
And ſo curſing and ſwearing come in to maintain the credit of a lye, as in Peters denyall of his Maſter.
So there needs a great many lyes to maintain one, if interrogatories do preſſe the Lyer far.
If it were no more but ſo, that one ſin doth drive us into another, even in this conſideration, one ſin doth puniſh another, becauſe the more ſin is committed, the more puniſhment is deſerved; but this is much more, that ſinne is puniſhed with ſin.
Thus Edom firſt breaketh the ſecond Table of the Law, in doing wrong to his brother, and fearing that this will one day coſt blows, he ſinneth another ſin againſt the firſt Table, and forſaketh the confidence in God, and putteth his truſt in men, which turneth to his utter ruine and deſtruction.
So even the Saints of God fall, as David; for his adultery began to defile him, and then he ſtained himſelf with the blood of his wel-deſerving and faithful Subject; this is the Plot of David, in the matter of Ʋriah.
The reaſon why ſin ſhould be the puniſhment of ſin, is becauſe nature being once corrupted, and grace withdrawn, we are, then prone to thoſe defections from God, which do more and more corrupt us. And that is a great puniſhment, S. Paul cleerly ſheweth it in the degrees thereof.
1. When they knew God, Lam. 1.21they glorified him not as God
2. They were not thankefull.
3. They became vain.
4. Their fooliſh heart was darkened.
Thus did they runne out of one ſin into another, and at laſt.
Therefore God gave them up to uncleanneſſe, Ver. 24. Ver. 26.through the luſts of their own hearts, to diſhonour their own bodies between themſelves, for this cauſe God gave them up to vile affections, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, Ver. 28.to do thoſe things which are not convenient.
Sin in the heart is a fire in the boſome;Prov 6.27. Can a man take fire in his boſomed, and his clothes not be burnt? Can a man go upon …ot coles an his feet not be burnt?
St. Gregory hath a good deſcription of ſinnes.
1. Some are ſimple in themſelves ſinnes, ſuch is every thought, word and, work againſt the Law.
2. Some ſins are cauſes of more ſins, as ſurfetting and fulneſſe cauſeth luxury and uncleanneſſe of the fleſh.
3. Other ſins are the puniſhment of former ſins, as in my Text. Edom his former ſin is puniſhed by a latter.
4. Other ſins are the puniſhment of former ſins, and the cauſes of latter, as in David,
His idleneſſe was puniſhed by his Adultery, and that Adultery was the cauſe of murther.
But here is a Quaere.
Quaere. If ſin be a puniſhment, it is of God; for all puniſhment is juſt, and is of God; but God is not author of ſin: therefore ſin is no puniſhment.
To this our anſwer is, that ſin may be conſidered two ways.
Sol. 1. As it is a pollution of man.
2. As it is in the effect thereof the juſt puniſhment of man.
God is not the author of ſin as it is a pollution, but being committed, God in the even courſe of his juſtice turneth it into puniſhment of man.
And man is puniſhed ſaith Thomas Aquinas three wayes.
1. In praecedentibus, becauſe God withdraweth his preſerving grace from a ſinner, and maketh the means of his preſervation ineffectuall.
For to the juſt he faith, I will not leave thee nor forſake thee; but to the reprobate he ſhutteth up their eyes, ne videant he ſtoppeth their ears ne audiant: he hardeneth their hearts and leaveth them to their own corruptions to be wrought upon.
2. In concemitantibus; theſe are either.
1. Inward, the pollution of the heart.
2. Outward, in the calamities of life.
3. In ſubſequentibus: that is the unreſt of the conſcience, and diſtraction of the mind.
Excellent and full to this purpoſe is the example of the Prodigall; for
1. God withdrew his grace from him, and left him to take his vitious and luxurious courſes in the world till he had ſpent all and was caſt forth.
2. God puniſhed him in his mind, by giving him over for a time to the pollution of ſin; he outwardly puniſhed him with contempt and beggery and famine.
3. He puniſhed him in his Conſcience with the remorſe of his ſin which wrought with him ſo effectually that he repented him of his ſin and returned to his Father; ſo this puniſhment was not ad amandationem, but ad emendationem.
Et que paena fuit facta eſt medecina.
Thus ſin in the Elect may be the puniſhment of ſinne to their great good, and the recovery of them again to God; as in Davids example, and in the example of Peter.
But the reprobate are forſaken of grace, polluted in their minds, and tormented in their conſciences, and feele croſſes and afflictions in the fleſh, and theſe be rods of their own making, wherewith God ſcourgeth them, ſending the Angel of Satan to buffet them.
The moſt dangerous and damnable eſtate is, of thoſe who when they have ſinned, do not love the word of God, which ſhould reſtore them; like thoſe froward ſick perſons, that refuſe the phyſick that ſhould heale them.
The word of God is plain-dealing, and telleth every one of his faults, and revealeth to them the juſtice of God.
When men begin to take exceptions at the Word, and quarrell with the food and medicine of life, and to ſay, Durus eſt hic ſermo, this is an hard ſaying, then ſin groweth an heavie puniſhment to them, and worketh their deſtruction.
Ʋſe. Therefore let all thoſe that would not be their ſelfe tormentors, heare what the ſpirit ſpeaketh to the Churches: let them not conſult with fleſh and bloud, but let them order their wayes according to the word of God.
Let no burthen ſeem ſo heavy to them, as the weight of their own ſins.
Let no annoyance ſeem ſo ſtenching as the turpitude and pollution of their own ſins.
And then Come unto me ye that are weary and heavie laden, and I will eaſe you.
Come to me, you that are defiled and polluted with your manifold corruptions, and I will waſh you clean in my bloud, ſaith the Redeemer of men.
When our ſins have broken our hearts, and made us contrite, and the ſmart of them hath made us weary of them, then ſhall we ſee them faſtned to the Croſſe of Chriſt, and the grace of God will be ſufficient for us.
Doctr. 2 God requiteth the wicked with the ſame meaſure which they have meeted to others; Edom dealt perfidiouſly and treacherouſly with Iſrael; therefore their confederates and profeſſed friends deale ſo with them.
It is Chriſts rule of Juſtice.
With what meaſure you meete, M…t. 7.2 2it ſhall be meaſured to you again, proved.
Wo to thee that ſpoyleſt, Iſa, 33.1.and waſt not ſpoyled, and dealeſt treacherouſly, and they dealt not treacherouſly with thee; when thou ſhalt ceaſe to ſpoyle, thou ſhalt be ſpoyled, and when thou ſhalt make an end to deale treacherouſly, they ſhall deale treacherouſly with thee.
It is the threatning of God.
Ye ſhall not afflict the widow or fatherleſſe child: Ex. 22.1…2if thou afflict them in any wiſe, and they cry at all unto me, I will ſurely hear their voyce,
And my wrath ſhall wake hot, and I will kill you with the ſword, and your wives ſhall be widows, and your children fatherleſſe.
David ſmarted in this kind.
He defiled the wife of his faithfull ſervant Ʋriah, Abſolon his ſon defiled his fathers Concubines in the ſight of all Iſrael.
Cain feared this judgment ſo ſoon as he had killed his brother Abel; Gen. 4 14for he ſaid preſently, it ſhall come to paſſe, that every one that findeth me ſhall ſlay me.
Adoni-Bezek confeſt this juſtice of retaliation executed on him, for they took him, and cut off his thumbs and great toes, and he ſaid,
Threeſcore and ten Kings having their thumbs and toes cut off, gathered their meat at my table; Ver. 23. Jude 1.6.as I have done, God hath requited me
So ſaith God to the Chaldeans,
Becauſe thou haſt ſpoyled many Nations, Heb 2.8.all the remnant of the people ſhall ſpoyle thee.
And God made this judgement good againſt Amalek, for they ſought to deſtroy Iſrael, and God by Iſrael deſtroyed them.
Samuel ſaid to Agag their King.
As thy ſword hath made women childleſſe, ſo ſhall thy mother be childleſſe among other women; 1 Sam. 1.5 33.ſo he hewed him in peeces before the Lord.
Ahab ſlew Naboth, and himſelf was ſlain.1 King. 21.19. Jezabel ſhed Naboths blood; Thus ſaith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth ſhall dogs lick even thy blood alſo. The dogs ſhal eat Jezabel by the wals of Iezreel. As Solomon threatneth,
They ſhall eate the fruit of their own way, Prov. 1.31.and be filled with their own deviſes.
The Apoſtle calleth this righteouſneſſe in God;
It is a righteous thing with God, 2 Theſ. 1.6to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you.
The word is decompoſite, foreign, and ſignifieth a retribution contrary to them, that in the ſame they ſhal be Patients wherein they have been Agents.
From this fountain of juſtice cometh that Law judiciall,Ex. 21.24. an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: which Law Chriſt did not abrogate but interpret, and put it into the power of the Magiſtrate where it ought to be, taking it away from private perſons.
Ʋſe. Let us all lay this juſtice of God to heart, and let us look for it at the hands of God, that he will foreign to us our iniquities unrepented.
Let the Adulterer heare Job. If my heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at the doore of my neighbour, let my wife grind to another, Job 31.9, 10.and let other men bow down upon her.
Let the cruel oppreſſor of his brethren, look to be oppreſſed in himſelf, or in his poſterity.
If the daughter of Babel oppreſſe, Bleſſed ſhall he be, Pſa. 137.8.that rewardeth thee as thou haſt ſerved us.
It it Gods own word. He that honoureth me, him will I honour; but he that deſpiſeth me, ſhall be deſpiſed.
Doctr. 3 There is no true love and peace between the ungodly.
Here hath been much confederacy between Edom and other Nations, they were men of Peace they did eat and drink together, yet even thoſe turned perfidious to Edom, and betrayed him.
Chriſt in his legacy of Peace ſaid, pacem meam do vobis non ſicut mundus dat. Job 14 27My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth. For,
Either it is pax adulationis the Peace of Adulation, of which David ſaith, Ol…um peccatoris non confringet capat meum. Ravennas note is that in all Sacrifices to God ſalt was uſed, for God cannot be flattered; when we ſay the moſt we can of him, we come ſhort. Adulatio quam ſimilis eſt amicitiae, non imitatur tantum, ſed praecedit.
Poore men have the advantage of the rich in this, for who flattereth them? Sinners ſay we need not this waſte; why ſhould we beſtow it on them that cannot requite us? We will ſave it, and give it to them which are mighty.
2. Or it is pax malae confederationis, the peace of evil confederacie, ſuch as is between Thieves, we will all have one purſe; theſe be as old Jacob ſaid of Simeon and Levi, fratres in malo brothers in evil, St. Aug. calleth this ne fariam amicitiam, a wicked friendſhip; into their ſecret, let not my ſoule come.
Theſe tares bind themſelves in bundles for the fire.
3. Pax ſimulationis a diſſembling peace, when men hide malice under a ſhew of Peace; that they may ſub amici fallere nomen, that they deceive under ſhew of friendſhip, ſo …udas kiſſeth, and betrayeth, Amaſa entreateth and ſtabbeth.
4. Pax temporalis, a temporall peace, when men maintain love, and friendſhip, and exchange great gifts and tender love and ſervice to ſerve a turn. So men ſet up the Ladders that they clime by as high as they can; but when their turn is ſerved, they lay them along upon the ground.
This is the peace which the world giveth, and there is no true friendſhip in it,Pro. 17.17. for a friend loveth at all times.
Nec ullis divulſus querimoniis
Suprema citius ſolvit amor die.
True peace is like the dew of Hermon, none but the Elect of God have it.
My Peace I give to you. it is not like the light of the Sun that ſhines on good and bad.
This is like the light that ſhined on Goſ…en when all Egypt elſe was in palpable darkneſſe.
This is like the pretious oyle powred on Aarons head, and running down to the skirts of his raiment, Pſa. 133.2 3.for there the Lord Commanded the bleſſing and life for ever more.
Ariſtotle held that friendſhip contracted either by pleaſure or profit could not hold; for the cement and glew that ſhould tye them together, is but weak; this continuation is but hujus ad hoc, of this to that.
But the union of the faithful is hujus in hoc, of this in that. For they be incorporate in one body; and they are made members of Chriſt and members one of another, one fleſh, one body.
We ſee men in their greatneſſe followed, and ſerved, and petitioned, obſerved, and preſented, with choiſeſt and richeſt gifts; if we ſee them decline in favour, or power, we ſee them forſaken of their ſervants.
We ſee young prodigals frequented with company, courted with complements, feaſted and ſwelled with all delights; but when the fountain of this friendſhip is drawn dry, and the means faile, who calleth thoſe men friends, or ſeeketh their converſation?
This yet appeareth more plainly in the Idumeans of Rome, that have long perſecuted the true Church of God; for though they have laboured ever ſince the firſt corruption of the Church, to maintain their Hereticall opinions, yet could they never be at any perfect peace amongſt themſelves.
And this ofter our Church may boldly make to them, that there is no Tenet in our Religion we maintain againſt them, but we wil renounce it, if we do not find it averred by ſome one, or moſt of eminent learning amongſt themſelves.
And becauſe it will take up too much time to give inſtance in al particulars of our difference from the Trent Church, For a taſte let me refer ſo many as are deſirous of better ſatisfaction, to read that learned proofe of this truth in the Reverend Dean of Gloceſters third book of the Church, at the end of it, where he nameth the agreement of our church with their beſt learned, in points, wherein the Jeſuits at this day accuſe us of Hereſie.
Therefore one obſerved well, that the Religion of Rome was like Nebuchadnezzars image, the height of it was 60 cubits, and the breadth was but 6; that is without any proportion; for never could they make the parts of it ſymmetricall.
Therefore, firſt we are comforted againſt all the enemies of our Religion, their ſtrength may be great, and their malice greater; but they cannot unite themſelves with the bond of true Peace, and the God of peace is not their tutelary God.
In the damnable conſpiracy of the Powder-traytors, God by one of themſelves diverted the Treaſon.
I deny not but Turks have had many great prevailings againſt Chriſtians, Papiſts againſt Proteſtants, and their confederates have held faſt with them.
So had Moab and Ammon, Geball, the Aſſirians, Philiſtines, the Chaldeans againſt Iſrael.
But God found a time to conſume theſe Nations by their own ſtrength, and their own confederates were the ruine of them.
We have heard that war is one of the ſore judgements wherwith God ſcourgeth offendors.
At this time a great part of the Proteſtant Church is hoſtilly attempted with war; we have many of our countrymen, noble, generous, and valiant voluntiers engaged in that cauſe.
I hope we ſhall do a charitable Chriſtian duty to God and them, to pray God to cover their heads in the day of battaile, to beſeech him whom Job cals the preſerver of men, to ſave them from all evill. Thou Lord preſerveſt man & beaſt; do thou ſave them: let their eye have its deſire upon their enemies. And for our ſelves, we ſay,
O Lord be gratious unto us: we have waited for thee: be thou their arme every morning,Iſa. 33.2. our Salvation alſo in the time of trouble.
God is called Lord of Hoaſts, and ſo he can maſter his enemies; the ſtars in their courſes by their influences: the Elements, fire, as in Sodom; ayre, as in the Peſtilence in Davids time, water, as in the deluge; earth as in Corahs tranſgreſſion, to ſmite ſinners.
He can puniſh man by Frogges, by Flyes, by Lice, by Graſſehoppers, and ſuch like armies of his.
Yet he choſe to deſtroy the army of the Midianites by themſelves, rather then by any other means;
The Lord ſet every mans ſword againſt his fellow, throughout all the hoast.Jud. 7.22.
He could have employed other executioners, to have done vengeance upon blaſpheming Senacherib King of Aſſyria, but he would ſhew that no bonds of ſociety, or nature can hold them together, whom God hath not joyned.
Therefore it came to paſſe as he was worſhipping in the houſe of Niſ…ock his God, Iſa. 37.38.that Adrameleck and Sharezer his ſons ſmote him with a ſword.
2. We are therefore taught to unite our ſelves in the Lord by the bonds of …ue love; for all other bonds will be like the new cords wherewith Sampſon was tied, break in ſunder, and we ſhall caſt them from us.
The great friendſhip that is made by bribes cannot be ſincere; for
1. The receiver of them knowes that his love is a dear penny worth to his friend; it is not a gift but a perquiſite, and therfore he cannot call it ſure.
2. The giver knoweth his mony, & not his love made the friend; and if this friendſhip bear him out of the hands of juſtice, his conſcience will ſtill tell him, that his money, not his innocency acquitted him, if this friendſhip prefer him, his conſcience within him will ſay that his money, not his worthineſſe, hath advanced him.
Therefore the frienſhip thus made is not ſincere.
But they whom Religion and the fear of God doth unite, are of one heart, and of one ſoule; here is no lack of any thing,Acts 4.32 if any of them may ſupply it; the wounded man ſhall have both the oyle and wine of the Samaritane out of his veſſels, and the help of his hand, and of his beaſt, and of his word and of his purſe.
Our Saviour Chriſt ſaith, Go thou and do the like.
How can we ſay we are neighbours, when we are ſo far from healing our brethrens wounds, that we rather ſet them into a freſh bleeding, and open them wider; we rather make more in the whole and ſound fleſh; we rather take away their oile and wine, and beaſt and money wherewith they ſhould help themſelves; and inſtead of putting them into an houſe, we take their houſes over their heads, and expoſe them to ſtormes.
The God of peace ſanctifie us throughout, that his peace may knit us together in him.
Doctr. 4 Thoſe who truſt in men, have no underſtanding.
Here on earth we do much value the wiſdome and judgment of man, by his choyce of adherence and dependance; and we judge them unwiſe that addreſſe themſelves to ſuch, as cannot either ſupport them as they are, or put them on farther.
But the word of the Lord ſaith, there is no underſtanding in Edom to truſt in man; and the Pſalmiſt, Non relinquat hominem; he adviſeth,
Truſt not in Princes, nor in any ſon of man, for there is no help in him; God goeth farther in my text, there is treaſon in him; ſubducet auxilium ſuper inducet exitium.
He will bring thee to thy uttermoſt borders, and there he will leave thee.
Jun. reads, Cujus vulneris non erit intelligentia, as pointing out ſo great a plague upon Edom, ut ipſam nequeat mens humana comprehendere, nedum curare arte & intelligentia.
Joannes Draconites readeth the text thus, Ante proderis hoſtibus quàm animadvertas.
But the ſenſe is eaſie, God cenſureth them for fools, that put their truſt in man.
For God himſelf ſaith, they commit two great evils, They forſake God the Fountain of living waters, Jer. 2.13.and hewed them out ciſterns, broken ciſterns that can hold no water.
The Philiſtims truſted in their great Champion Goliah, 1 Sam. 17.10.and they deſied the ho…ſt of Iſrael, and deſpiſed David; the Aramites ſent Iſrael word, that the duſt of their land ſhould not be enough to give every one of their Army an handfull.1 Reg. 20.10.
The reaſon of this folly, is, the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that beleeve not; 2 Cor. 4.4.for Satan worketh ſtrongly in the children of diſobedience; he hath ſtrong illuſions for them, to make them beleeve lies.
They that truſt in lying vanity, ſaith Jonah, do forſake their own mercy.
It is a lying vanity to truſt the falſe gods of the Heathen.Deut. 32.38. God upbraideth the Apoſtate Jewes ſo, Let them riſe up and help you, let them be a refuge.
It is a lying vanity to truſt in any confederacie againſt God: It is Gods woe,
Woe to the rebellious children that take counſell, but not of me, that cover with a covering, but not of my ſpirit, Iſa. 33.1.that they may adde ſin unto ſin.
That walk to go downe into Egypt, (and have not asked at my mouth) to ſtrengthen themſelves in the ſtrength of Pharaoh, and to truſt in the ſhadow of Egypt.
Therefore ſhall the ſtrength of Pharaoh be your ſhame, and the truſt in the ſhadow of Egypt your confuſion.
He declareth this folly in the next chapter.
Now the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horſes fleſh, and not ſpirit; when the Lord ſhall ſtretch out his hand, Iſa. 31.3.he that helpeth ſhall fall, and he that is holpen ſhall fall down, and they all ſhall fail together.
This ſheweth want of faith, when we truſt in the vain help of friends.
It is true, that we muſt uſe all good means to further Gods providence; but we muſt not put any truſt in theſe means; there may be help by them, there is no help in them.
David ſetteth theſe two in oppoſition, and declareth the differing ſucceſſe of them.
Some truſt in chariots, and ſome in horſes, Pſ. 20, 7, 8.but we will remember the name of our Lord.
They are brought down and fallen, but we are riſen, and ſtand upright.
Is it not folly for man to run himſelf upon the curſe of God? God hath ſaid it, Curſed be the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord.Jer. 17.
The Poets, the Prophets of the Heathen, can tell us what ill ſucceſſe the Gyants of the earth had, which their confederacie againſt the gods.
Non eſt conſilium contra Dominum.
The Uſe of this point is
Let us all labour and pray for underſtanding.
1. To know the impotencie of the creature, that we may not truſt to it.
2. To know the omnipotencie of our Creator, that we may not oppoſe it, but ſeek our reſt under that ſhadow.
This will change our vain confidence into a ſtrong faith; and faith is a ſhield in all our wars.