THe words are a sweet straine in a Song of Moses, full of faith and triumph, and suite well enough with a day of mour­nings, for the Lev. 25.9. Jubile trumpet sounded in the day of Atonement; and our low­est humiliations, are the inlets of our highest exaltations.

Wee may looke upon the text as a Tostat. in Loc. Caution, laid in to prevent the insulting and blaspheming language of a [Page 2]sometimes prevailing enemy, who might vaunt, and say, Our Arme hath broken Israel, and, our gods are victorious; No. saith Moses, ver. 30. How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? to wit, According to the promise made to Israel. Lev. 26.7.8. See [...]. [...]. in loc. lun. in loc. one Israelite could not but chase a thousand enemies, and two could not but put ten thousand to flight, except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up. Or thus, there is an impossibility that one (of the enemies) should chase a thousand, (Israelites) or two put ten thou­sand to flight, except their Rock, &c. And the reason of that impossibility ariseth from the soveraignty of God, Israels protector, and the vanity of Idols, yea of all the props and supporters of the enemy: especially Gods soveraignty, and their vanity being balanced toge­ther; For their rocke is not as our Rock, even the enemies themselves being Iudges.

For the letter or Grammar of the words, the Originall runs thus, [...] for not like our Rock their rock: The e Septu­agint renders it [...]. For their Gods are not as our God: But the rendring of the Hebrew [...] a Rock, by [...], God, ( So rendred verse 4. & Psal. 71.3. &c. Leigh Crit. Sac. in vet. Test. which is usuall in the Septuagint) is rather an Interpre­tation, then a translation. Many Latin Bibles follow ra­ther the Septuagint, then the Originall, and have Deut & dei, God and gods: the Chaldee Paraphrase saith Strength: this to the sense also, though not to the letter. Lay all together, and you have the whole before you, Their rock is not as our Rock; their gods, not as our God; their strength, not as our Strength.

Even our enemies themselves being Judges, the Origi­nall runs thus, [...] Even our enemies Judges. The Septuagint renders it, [...]. and our enemies unintelligent fooles and witless: And Agelius in boc Cant. Mos. non inimici no­stri consiliarii, or inimici no­stri stulti, &c. Agelius tells us, that some of the Hebrewes gave the occasion probably to the Septuagint for this translation: for they breake the words into two negative Propositi­ons: first, Their rock is not as our Rock; the second, and Our enemies are not Judges, that is, not men of wisedome, [Page 3]but silly Idiots, fetching the negative particle of the first proposition into the second, though not expressed. And this is an usuall Hebraisme; take one instance, Ps. 38.1. O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation, and chasten me not in thy sore displeasure: the negative particle in the former clause is not expressed in the latter, though understood. And this Interpretation of the Text, if possible, yet not probable: and if any curiously inquire for the reason why the Septu­agint translates [...] Judges by [...] senselesse, foo­lish? I must answer him, with an ergo quaere, inquire still.

For the Rhetorick of the words, first some think there is an Apostrophe, a turning of the speech in the whole, by Moses, so Junius; or the people, so Ainsworth; Iun. Annot. in loc. by Mo­ses, and the people, probable also. Moses spake his owne mind and the mind of the people, saying, their rocke is not as our rocke, &c. Againe, others conceive there are two tropes, a Metaphor in the word rock, for God, strength, supports, and a Synecdoche generis prospecie, Piscator in loc. their rocke ex­pressing all the props and supports of enemies, when their Idol-gods their principall supports are especially aym­ed at.

In stead of the Logick and division of the text, be plea­sed to take notice of these five particulars: the three first necessarily implyed; the two last plainly exprest.

1 First, that Israel hath an enemy.

2 Secondly, that this enemy hath a rock, to wit, some­thing he trusts unto and leans upon, their Rock.

3 Thirdly, that Israel hath a Rock also, our Rock.

4 Fourthly, that there is no comparison betweene the rock of the enemy, and the rock of Israel, their rock is not &c.

5 Fifthly, that the proofe hereof is from the adversaries themselves, our enemies themselves being Iudges.

The first observation is, that Israel hath an enemy, the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Romans, but especially the Egyptians here pointed at, as Israels most notorious and professed enemies: and the grand enemy of Gods [Page 4] Israel in our dayes is Rome and its adherents typed out by Egypt, Rev. 11.8. and hence the great City Rome is spi­ritually called Egypt.

Spiritually, that is, by way of Allegory and resem­blance, the Kingdome of Egypt shadowing out the King­dome of the beast: the Parallel may run thus.

1 First, Egypts [...], mad-Idoll worship, having brutish Gods, the Cow, the Oxe and the Crocodile, and Herbal Gods, Herodot. in Enter. leekes and onyons. You may read at large the grossenesse of Egypts Idolatry, in Herodotus and Juvenal Sa­tyr. 15 quis nescit — qualia demens Aegyptus pot­tenta colat. Juvenall: and yet Rome is more idolatrous. Egypt adored creatures animale of Gods making; Rome, things inani­mate also of mans making, stocks and stones; Rome hath Gods of gold, and silver, of brasse, and wood in their painted and carved Images; hath a breaden God in their reall presence, makes all the Saints and Angels Gods, by their invocation or adoration of them, makes every Priest a God by his power of transubstantiation, and (that they may have Gods enough) they make every one of themselves, yea every good work they doe, a God, by opinion of merit in it: Mant. Eclog. 9. Fama est Ae­gyptum &c. and therefore the Poet Mantuan spake truth, and Divinity, when he said, that Rome was more idolatrous then Egypt.

2 Secondly, one of the plagues of Egypt was darknesse, and surely the Kingdom of the beast is a Kingdome of darknesse; Romes deluded Proselytes are tutored into ig­norance of Scriptures, Christ, and God: Egypts darknesse was externall, Luther in Act. August. Italia in Aegypti te­nebras palpa­biles projecta, adeò ignorant omnes Chri­stum & quae sunt Christi. Romes inward, and spirituall; Egypts was in­voluntary, and lamented darknesse, Romes voluntary and affected; Egypts penall, Romes criminall; Egypts but a­bout a three dayes darknesse, Romes a lasting, if not an everlasting darknesse: hence Luthers verdict, Italy lyes involved in the palpable fogges of Egyptian darknesse, they are all so ignorant of Christ, and of the things of Christ. Adeo ig­norant omnes Christum & quae sunt Christi.

3 Thirdly, cruelty to Israel was the great sin of Egypt set­ting hard taskmasters over them, Exod. 5.7, 8. exacting the tale of [Page 5]Bricks when straw denied; but Romes cruelty rests not in the estates of men, squeezing them as Sponges, nor in the bodies of men, whipping them with penances, and tyring them with pilgrimages, but reaches the very soule and conscience, the Pope sitting there as Lord and Master, dictating lawes ad libitum: Par. in Apol. [...].11.8. this soule-bondage is the soa­rest bondage: the rigour of Egypts cruelty was but about two hundred twenty five yeares, but Romes is as long as the raigne of the Beast: the Antichristian Rebels in Ireland braining young infants, ripping up women with child, their she-butchers with their long cut-throat knives by their sides, putting to the sword so many thousand Protestants in one Province in one moneth, are bloody demonstrations of Romes cruelty.

4 Fourthly, all that Israel contended for with the Egypti­ans, was Religion and Liberties. Let us go to hold a Feast, Exod. 5.1.3. and to offer Sacrifice to the Lord our God, that is the quarrell of Religion; they groaned under the heavie iron yoake of bondage, longed to have that taken off; that is the quarrell of Liberties. Our Religion and Liber­ties are setled by the lawes of the Land, not so Israels in Egypt: and therefore the Antichristian party in their attempts to wrest them from us, are more unjust and cruell then of old was Egypt. Had Moses and Aaron quitted their Religion and Liberties, all the quarrell be­tween Israel and Egypt had been ended: and would our Lords and Commons now at length, after serious consul­tation, and mature deliberation, resolve for themselves and all the Kingdome to imbrace any Religion, and sub­mit to any way of Civill Government, which a Malig­nant Jesuited Councell (too nigh the Throne) would tender or impose; would the Protestant party in City and Countries conclude upon it to make all their wils and to leave no other Legacies to their children and posterity, but Popery and Slavery: upon these termes we might have peace presently; even our bellies full.

5 Fifthly, the way of Egypts oppressing Israel was by [Page 6]secret subtilties and open hostilities, Come on, say they, let us deale wisely with them Exod. 1.10. : there is subtilty, they fell upon them but with all their strength, even all the Chari­ots of Egypt; Exod. 14.7. there's hostility: and surely the Egyptian spirits amongst us are wise in their generations, and have as many charets as possible they can get for love or money, want no counsell, or strength, with which men or devills, Rome or Hell, knowes how to furnish them.

6 Sixthly, Egypts greatest plague of all, was unseen, un­selt, unlamented, to wit, hardnesse of heart, and impe­nitency; though Moses and Aaron held out a cleer light for conviction, though signs and wonders were wrought before them, and plagues from heaven heapt upon them, yet hardned they their hearts against God and his people, and would not let Israel goe: Our Presses and Pulpits have held out a light satisfactory to all, but such as shut their eies, and will not see, but such as the God of this world hath blinded; our Parliamentary Worthies have declared, and declared, yea God himself hath de­clared against Egypt, and for Israel, by his discovery of plots, by the rising of well affected spirits in this, and the neighbour Nation, and that according to promise, Behold, Numb. 23.24. the people shall rise up as a great Lyon, and lift up himself as a young Lyon, he shall not lye down untill he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slaine; by wonderfull delive­rances and victories in the days of battel: yet who among all the Malignant Pack repents him of his evill ways, saying, What have I done? Some indeed repent of their facts, who of their faults? some turne up and down, from side to side, upon carnall, felfish principles, as a doore upon the hinges, but who goes out and weeps bitterly? Rev. 16.10, 11. When the fifth Angell powred out his viall up­on the seat of the beast, and his kingdome was full of dark­nesse, they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores, and repen­ted not of their deeds; and it argues that the troublers of [Page 7]Israel are animated and acted by the spirit of the Beast, because though they fret and fume, rage and rave, yet they also repent not of their deeds: Among many of them, scarce appears the honesty of Achan, of Judas, confes­sing and giving glory to God?

7 Lastly, The fatall stroak upon Egypt was the drowning of them in the Red sea: Exod. 1. last. their design was to have drowned the male children in the rever, yea all Israel, by forcing them into the sea; but by a miracle of mercy Israel was delive­red, and by the In quo pec­carunt, in eo­dem plectun­tur. wisdome of divine Justice, the Egyp­tians were overwhelmed; and then Exod. 15.1 2. Moses and all Is­rael sing a song unto the Lord: Even so Rev. 14.8. Babylon shall fall, and that as a great Rev. 18.21. milstone cast into the sea, and then all Rev. 15.2, 3. Israel of God shall stand, upon the sea of glasse, to wit, Exod. 14. trample Antichristian powers (which though many, as a sea of waters, yet are frayle, and brittle as the glasse) un­der their feet, having the Harpes of God in their hands, and and the song of Moses and of the Lamb in their mouthes, say­ing, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God almighty, just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints, &c. Thus, as in a paire of Indentures, cut answers cut, and as in the wa­ter face answers face, so Rome answers Egypt, our ene­mies. Israels.

Obser. 2 The second observation propounded, was, that Israels enemies have a Rock, their Rock; yet it is but a creature­rock, an imaginary rock: Prov. 18.11. The rich mans wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his conceipt.

Their creature-rocks are various, for methods sake let me thus rank them.

1 First, the enemy hath creature-rocks of Gods making, but their Idolizing, men and horses, they trust in men: be­cause they are many, witty, mighty; the deluded multi­tudes of men and women in the world, Rev. 17.15. make up the many waters whereon the Whore sits, to wit people and multitudes and nations, and tongues, yea all that are ingaged by Antichrist against Christ; again, because they are witty, the wise Statist, the deep braind Achitophel, and the spirit in the wheeles, [Page 8]is the subtile Jesuite, yet farther, because they are mighty, mighty Gentry, mighty Nobles, and the mighty shadow of the empty name of abused Soveraignty. Adde here­unto allies, confederates, at home or abroad, (as Ephraim of old went to the Assyrian, Hosea 5.13. and sent to King Jareb) take in the Papist, even to the Frier, and the Nun, (who now sleep not in their cells and cloysters) the Prelate, the De­linquent, the prophane, the formalist, yea the Welch and Irish, and they all drive on the same Catholick design, though upon severall grounds: some perhaps (I hope I speak low enough, but some and perhaps) of our broken No­bles and decayed Gentry, having drunk, or diced, or drabd away their ancient demeanes, hope to raise their Houses again by spoyle and plunder. The Papist is carried by a blind zeale, and the bloody principles of his Religion; the Prelate by his pride and avarice; the guilty Delinquent by the feares of Justice; the prophane and formalist, by their impatience of bearing Christs spirituall yoak in go­vernment and worship; the poor Welch it may be carryed away by hopes of pay and booties, and the Cannibal-Irish by delights in their trade of blood: thus are they confederate against thee O Israel, the Ps. 83.5.6.7. Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, of Moab, and the Hagarens, Gebal and Ammon, and Amalck, the Philistmes, with the inhabi­tants of Tyre, &c. These are the Ploughers that plough upon thy back, and make long furrowes; the plough of persecution, that goes; the hands of evill Counsellors hold and guide it, the cords of powers and policies are fastened to it, the horse in the Geeres are the brutish people made souldiers, these draw the plough though they sweat and bleed for it, have many a lash in their work and short provender after; the drivers, with a whip over them, are surious Com­manders, and sometimes a Cavallier Priest comes up with Ghostly counsell, stroaks them, claps them on the back to hearten them; and all the while the owner of the plough the devill, or the Pope his Bayliffe, walkes by to see the work goe on; thus the plough works all the yeare long: [Page 9] Ps. 129.3, 4. The righteous Lord cut asunder the cords of these wicked ones.

Again, the enemies stay themselves upon a Rock of Hor­ses, and Horsemen, because they are strong; though, when all is done, the Egyptians are men, and not God; Isaiah 31.1.3. and their horses flesh, and not spirit.

2 Secondly, the enemy hath a creature-rock of mans making, their strong Townes, Forts, Castles by land, and ships by sea, gold and silver are lookt upon as a high wal, monies either forced away from owners at home, or beg­ged or borrowed abroad. Again, they trust to their Idoll Gods of their own making also, Hosea 14.3. and say to the workes of their hands, Save us.

3 Thirdly, the enemy hath another creature-rock (if I may so phrase it) of the Devils making, for he trusts in his very sinnes, and strengthens himselfe in his wicked­nesse: Psal. 52.7. so Doeg the Edomite.

1 Their first rock of this kind are lyes and delusions; the Devill was a lying spirit in the mouth of the false Pro­phets, Ahab trusted to their lies, 1 King. 22. ingaged himselfe in an unlawfull warre, and it was his ruine; Doe they not trust upon plausible Declarations, and lying Protestations, which have Religion, Lawes, and Liberties in the Letter, but not in the Spirit of them? and upon Propositions, which have Peace in the mouth, but Warre in the heart? Nay, they trust to a monstrous lie, such a one as I thinke our fathers never heard of, a new upstart Anti-Parlia­ment; this is a strange Sunne risen in our Hemispheare, not to inlighten, but to darken our Horizon; yet wise men (Beloved) looke upon the true Sunne, which shines here in its proper Orbe, and upon that as a Meteor, a Parelius, the Apparition of a Sunne in a thick watery cloud, yet such a one is ominous, portends raine and stormes na­turally, and foretels clandestine conspiracies for the trou­bling the peace of Kingdomes through warres and commotions, by divine ordination, supernaturally. Thus some Magirus. Philosophers; but here is the difference between [Page 10]the naturall Parelius in the cloud, and our unnaturall Pa­relius in the State, that what the one portends onely, the other acts; powres downe stormes of bloud, plots against, and troubles Israel. I might tell you of another lie much trusted to, the lie of a bloudy Peace in Ireland; and all these magick lying wonders are but to blind the eyes of the people, that Moses and Aaron might be the lesse regarded by them; Jugler-like, to raise a dust or a mist to act their feats in, or Philistim-like, to pull out the eyes of Sampson (for the people are the Sampson, the strength of a Nation) that so they may make him to grind in any of their mils; or if you will, high-way-cutter-like, to shooe their horses backward, that when by the tread of the foot you thinke they are gone East, the truth is, they are running full speed clean another way.

2 There is another sinne the enemy trusts unto, oaths and perjuries; oaths doe but guild over lies, and perjuries help to strengthen forgeries.

3 They trust to their sinne of oppression; this was one of the rocks of Egypt, 1 sal. 62.10. Keep Israel poore and low enough, and then you may doe with them what you please; and this is Romes Machiavilian policy to this very day.

4 The enemy relies much upon his art and skill in the in­toxication of Princes and great men with a cup of fornica­tions, thereby holding them up in their ingagements a­gainst Israel: this was the magick sleight of Egypt, to blow up, and keep alive the flame of Pharaoh's indigna­tion, though he in himselfe had many inclinations to let Israel goe, he must chide Moses and Aaron, even when they brought the message of the Lord unto him; these wily Sorcerers held Pharaoh captive, and by his meanes, Israel.

5 Lastly, there is yet one sinne more they much leane upon, Num. 22. Magick and Witchcraft; Balaam must be hired to curse Israel: and if Witches and Wizards have any power in their black Art, now is a time for them to drive a full trade, they may have worke enough if they will [Page 11]worke, either for love or money, for feare, hopes, or hatred; but let not this trouble thee O Israel, for, Numb. 23.23 surely there is no inchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel.

Observ. 3 The third observation was, that Israel hath a rock also.

1 First, God; in his name and nature, mercifull and gra­cious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodnesse and truth, Exod. 34.6, 7. Deus & natura & foedere gra­tiae ad benefa­ciendum procli­vis. Jun. in Annot. Matth. 16.18. keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgres­sion, and sinne, &c. God in Christ, God in Covenant, Free-Grace in God the Father, full merit in Christ the Sonne, and powerfull operation in God the holy Ghost make up a rock sure and stedfast for Israel to build upon; against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile; the gates, where the Courts of Guard are kept, and the war-like strength of a City lies; the gates, where Courts of Ju­stice are kept, in which wisdome and counsell lies, so that all the powers and policies of hell are too weake for this rock of Israel.

2 Secondly, God in his Essence, Properties, Attributes, Gen. 17.8. is all Israels, I will be their God, makes over all that God hath to Israel. God hath a heart of mercy to pity Israel, a head of wisdome to advise for Israel, a hand of power to doe any thing for the good of Israel.

3 Thirdly, God in promises of all kinds, justifying promises, sanctifying promises, persevering, glorifying promises; promises that concerne the fall of Babylon, and the rise of Zions glory, shewes yet further strength in this rock of Israel: behold, and wonder at the graci­ous condescension of the great God, laying upon himselfe voluntary bonds and obligations, Ligatum tene­mus Deum. for the good and com­fort of his Israel; the Creator making himselfe a debtor to his poore beleeving creatures.

4 Fourthly, God in providence and providentiall ex­periments, is another peece of this rock of Israel; that providence which pitied England heathenish, and made it Christian, which pitied England popish, and refor­med [Page 12]it; that providence that appeared in Eighty eight, and against the Powder-treason, and of late, at Keinton, Brainford, Glocester, Newbery, &c. that providence which hath brought us out of Egypt, will bring us into Canaan, if our unbeleeving, murmuring, ingratefull, or selfe-seeking hearts, make not our carcasses to fall in the wil­dernesse; Psal. 22.1. let us take up Davids arguing, Our fathers trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them; and the reaso­ning of Mancahs wife, Judges 13.23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering, and a meat of­fering at our hands; neither would he have shewed us all these things, &c.

Observ. 4 The fourth observation which lies clearly and expressely in the Text, is, that There is no comparison between the enemies rock, and the rock of Israel; their rock is not as our rock. First, compare the Idols of the enemies with the God of Israel, and you will find,

1 First, Henr. Wol [...]h [...]. in. v. 4. Rupes non arte aut industria hominum, s [...]d suapt [...] natura co [...]sistit. Qui colit, ille facit. Idem ibidem. Deum n [...]c homi­num astutia su­perare potest, nec potentia srange­re, id (que) à seipso. Ferus declam. in Deut. Deus noster iniquita­tem odit, & de­serentas se de. serit. Tostat. in locum Our enemies Judges, that is, judicii divini executores. Corn. à Lapide, Inulta sinunt suorum cultorum peccata. Piscat in loc. non vindicant fui contemptum, quippe nec possunt. that our rock hath his being from himselfe, his name is, I AM: Idols are made by the Art and industry of men, the hewer cuts downe a tree, and of one peece of wood makes a fire, and of another makes a god; the Car­ver, and the Painter, and the worshipper, makes the Idoll.

Secondly, our rock is solid, immutable in himselfe, in his Decrees; his power breaks all powers, his wisdome goes beyond all policies; whereas Idol-gods, you may breake them in peeces, grind them to powder, and make Idolaters to eate and drinke downe those gods they have worshipped.

Thirdly, our rock hates iniquity, and doth punish it in any; the enemies see it, for often God makes them to be Judges over Israel, to wit, the executioners of di­vine judgements, and some thinke this is the truth also which the Text points at. And in this sense the Assy­rians, Chaldeans, Romans, were, as enemies unto, so Jud­ges over Israel *. But Idol-gods neither hate sin, nor [Page 13]punish sin in any; and the reason is given, Cornel. è La­pid. Imp [...]tentes sunt ut alicui benefaciant aut malefaciant. Rabanus Mau­rus lib. 4. in Deut. Idola f [...]l­sa, inutilia. from the ig­norance and impotency of Idols.

Fourthly, our rock is a God of truth and goodnesse, the Idoll rocks are rocks of lies and vanities, no way benefi­ciall to their deluded worshippers.

2 Secondly, compare all the enemies creature-rocks what­soever, with Israels Creator-rock; their imaginary rock, with Israels reall rock; you will see the transcendent excellen­cy of this rock of Israel.

1 First, our rock is a foundation-rock to build upon; Mart. 7.24, 25. the wise man, the beleever builds his hopes and happinesse up­on this rock, and when the raine descends, the floud comes, and the winds blow, and beat upon his house, yet it fals not, because it is founded upon a rock; but the foole, the un­beleever, the formalist, though he seeme to raise a goodly frame, a faire pile of building; yet when the storme comes, the house fals, and great is the fall of it, Verse 26, 27. Job 39.27, 28. alluded to. and all be­cause it was not built on the rock, but on the sand. The Eagle-like Christian gets upon the wing by beleeving, and sores aloft in heavenly meditations and affections, and makes his nest on high, he dwels, and abides on the rock, upon the cragge of therock, and the strong place.

2 Secondly, our rock is a sheltering rock, securing us from any, from all our enemies; Psal. 94.22. David hides himselfe in a rock from Saul, and he cries, the Lord is my defence, Psal. 104.18. and my God is the rock of my refuge: the rocks naturall are a refuge for the Conies; if the Dog or danger appeare, they pop into their holes, and so are safe; Prov. 18.10. Hen. Wolphi. tutum est omni­bus qui in eam confugiunt prae­sidium quò nec miles ascendere, nec belli tormi­na trahi pussunt Leigh. Crit. sac. in vet. Test. Isa. 33.16. and this spirituall rock is a refuge for beleevers, when dan­gers and feares come, they earth and burrough themselves in Christ, and the name of the Lord is their strong Tower, they runne into it, and are safe. God is a strong rock indeed, no breaking through it; an high rock, no climbing up, or scaling it, no drawing up of Cannon, or warlike engins against it; he is a sure rock, and some fancie it that our English word sure is borrowed from the Hebrew word [...] a rock; thus Israel dwels on high, [Page 14]and his place of defence is the munitions of the rocks, &c.

3 Thirdly, our rock is a shadowing rock, from the scorch­ing heate of divine indignation, and from the dazling glory of Gods essentiall Majesty: so in the prophesie, Isa 32.2. Exod. 33.18.20. alluded to. A man, to wit, Christ, shall be as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Moses saith to God, Shew me thy glory; God answereth, thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me, and live; but, behold, saith God, I will put thee in the clefts of the rock, and cover thee with my hand, and thou shalt see my back-parts, &c. God puts beleevers into Christ, as into the clefts of the rock, in him they see the God­head vailed, they behold the back-parts of God and live.

4 Fourthly, our rock is a watering rock, to coole the fired, to quench the thirsty, to cleanse the defiled, to revive the fainting soule that comes unto him. Exod. 17. Numb. 20. We read of Israel wrangling with Moses for water twice; and of Moses smiting the rock twice; first in Cadesh, in the second moneth, after Israels going out of Egypt, and the other in Rephidim, in the seventh moneth; the waters that flowed upon the first smiting, gave present refreshing, and then vanished, but the waters which gushed out of the rock in Rephidim, continued and followed the Camp of Israel in all their march; and Israel, where ever they pitcht their Tents, made pits to receive and hold those waters; Numb. 21.18. Petrae aquati­lem sequelam, as Tertullian. lib. de Patient. 1 Cor. 10.4. yea, the Princes digged the Well, the Nobles of the people digged it; and Israel dranke of the rock that followed them: And this rock was spiritually a type of Christ, so the Apostle; he was the rock smitten in his death and passion, from him the waters of life flowed, and flow after all the Camps of Israel, in all places, in all ages: we must make pits, and digge Wels also; get hum­ble hearts, and beleeving spirits, to hold these waters in. Some ancients fancie it that Israel took this rock of Re­phidim along with them, and as often as they pleased, fetcht water out of it; it is the fiction of some Rabbins and Schoolemen, that the rock was contracted into a lit­tle flint, which Miriam carried up and downe with her [Page 15]in her bosom: all this is but fabulous, yet there is a truth in this; that every beleeving Israelite carries the rock Christ in his breast, and bosome; when he acts faith, he smites the rock, and then the waters of grace and peace flow upon him in all abundance. Israel was in great straits, ready to perish for want of waters, and waters were not to be gotten in all the wildernesse; had it not beene for the rock, all Israel had perished. Even such is thy case O man, thou didst need a Redeemer, couldst find no wa­ter in the wildernesse, no salvation in thy selfe, or in the creatures; and had it not beene for the rock Christ, all mankind had perished, and that eternally.

5 Fifthly, our rock is a feeding rock to every hungry soule that comes unto him; the Lord made Israel to suck honey out of the rock, and oyle out of the flinty rock: Verse 13. honey, that is from the nests of Bees hived in the rock, or else the Lord fed them with Dates from the Palme-trees, which grew among the rocks, and with such kind of fruits as sweet as honey; and he fed them with oyle from the Olive trees; thus God fed the beleeving Israe­lite, and was willing to feed him to the full, Psal. 81. last. and with ho­ney out of the rock to satisfie him: And how is Israel fed still, but out of the rock Christ? fed, by the word, the Gospel, which is sweeter then the honey, or the ho­ney-comb; fed, with the graces of Gods spirit, faith, love, evangelicall obedience, as oyle from the two Olive­trees in Zacharies vision. Nay, more yet, Zach. 4 12. John 6.55. Israel is fed with the bread of life, the Lord Christ, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose bloud is drink indeed.

6 Lastly, our rock is a rock of ages; Trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength; Isa. 26.4. or as in the Hebrew, a rock of Ages: all the rocks of ene­mies are sandy gravelly rocks, soone washed away, and crumbled into nothing: this rock is solid, and lasts to e­ternity; and this crownes all the rest, for this rock is a foundation-rock to eternity, a sheltering-rock to eterni­ty, a shadowing-rock to eternity, a watering-rock, a fee­ding-rock [Page 16]to eternity: eternity makes Heaven, Heaven; and the rock of Israel to be of transcendent excellency above all other rocks whatsoever.

Observ. 5 The fifth observation is but a proofe of the fourth, from the testimony of Adversaries, even our enemies them­selves being Judges. I might make out this truth from sacred Scriptures, and Ecclesiasticall Histories, and tell you how after the time of primitive persecutions under the Roman Emperours, Pareus in Apoc. capis. 6. vers 4. God raised up Constantius, who died at York Anno Dom. 310. and Constantine the great, heire of his Crowne and vertues: Euseb. Pam. lib. 8. cap. 14. A [...]g. de Civit. D [...]. A Theodo­cii partibus in adves [...]ios ve­hemens ventus ibat, et non so­lum quaecunque in cos jacula­bantur concita­tissimèrapiebat, verùm etiam ipsorum tela in corum corpora retorquchat. Claudian. O ni­mium dilecte Deo, cui militat aether, Et conju­rati ve [...]iunt ad classica venti. Numb. 23.19, 20, &c. I might tell you of the thundering Legion, and of Theodosius, who fighting with Eugenius, a mighty wind arose, and beat back the darts into the enemies bosomes, in whom, as in many others, God shewed himselfe a rock for Israel: but I will content my selfe with the testimonies, and open acknowledge­ments of adversaries, which the Text points me to; we find their testimony arising from severall grounds.

First, from conviction of conscience; hence, what Saul said of David, Thou art more righteous then I, the ene­mies are forc'd to say of the God of David, Thou art wiser then we, or our Idol-gods, and stronger then we, or all our rocks whatsoever; thus Balaam, though a cove­tous, cursed conjurer, God is not a man that he should lie, nor the Sonne of man that he should repent; hath he said, and shall he not doe it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? the Lord his God is with-him, the shout of a King is among them, he hath, as it were, the strength of an Vni­corne, &c.

2 Secondly, from the terrors of God upon their spirits: so the Egyptians, Exod. 14.25. when the Lord took off their Chariot wheeles, that they drave them heavily, they cried out, Fu­giamus, 1 Sam. 4.6, 7, 8. fugiamus, let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians. So the Philistins, when they heard that the Arke of the Lord was come into the Camp of Israel, they were afraid; for they said, God is come into the Camp; And they said, Woe [Page 17]unto us; And againe, Woe unto us, who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the Wilder­nesse.

3 Thirdly, from their miserable experience: they dash against this rock, and it breaks them in peeces; hence the men of Ashd [...]d, 1 Sam. 5.7. when they saw Dagon fall before the Arke, cryed out, The hand of the God of Israel is sore up­on us, and upon Dagon our god. The enemy finds, that the God of Israel hath really, what theirs fictitiously; though woollen feet, yet iron hands: they feele his blowes to be waighty and terrible; and thus, that their rock is not as out Rock, the enemies themselves are Jud­ges Calvin. Ex­perientia potius quam affectu judicant. Junius Annot. H [...]c testimoniu [...] in controversiis bujusmodimax­imt esse, ut par est, solct. Calvin. in loc. Cornel. à Lap. in loc. Qui poten tiam justitiam (que) Dei nostri prae suis Idolis ex­perti sunt, &c.; not from love, and affection, but from sense, and experience; yet in a controversie of this nature, the te­stimony of an adversarie is of great strength and validi­ty, and wrests from an adverse spirit, an acknowledge­ment of the power and justice of God, above what they fancie to be in their Idols. Having thus laid a Do­ctrinall foundation, let me crave your patience, to sum up all together in a joynt Application.

Ʋse. 1 First, what hath beene delivered may informe us.

1 First, whence Israels safety ariseth in evill times; from Israels standing on a rock, on a high rock, above all the winds, and waves of boysterous, and menacing calamities: the perplexed enemies run as in a storme, from hedge to hedge, from bush to bush, from friend to friend, from plot to plot, but the tempest beats through all, and soakes in upon them: but Israel then is in a state of safety, not onely on a rock, (for then possibly they might be beaten off by winds, and weather) but in a rock, yea, in a strong Tower within a rock, The name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righteous runne into it, and are safe.

2 Againe, this discovers the folly of insulting enemies, they see weak Israel, but not the strong rock of Israel; were their eyes opened, to see the thousands of fiery Cha­riots [Page 18]upon the Mountaines, they would say, there were more for Israel, then against it; the Arke is with Israel and where the Arke goes, [...] Sam cap. 5. there goes victory; and if the Philistins doe, by a permissive providence, take the Arke and runne away with it, the curse of God followes them; they set it in the house of Dagon, and then down fals Dagon; they carry it from Ashdod, to Gath, from Gath, to Ekron; but still the plague of Emrods vexeth them, and a very great destructioin fals upon the place where the Arke comes; and the Philistins are never at quiet, till they have returned the Arke back again to Is­rael. Psal. 137 7. Obad. ver. 3.4. Edom cries against Jerusalem, Rase it, rase it even to the foundations thereof: but what saith the rock of Is­rael against Edom? The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rocks, whose habitation is high; that saist in thy heart, Who shall bring me downe to the ground? though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the Stars, thence will I bring thee downe, saith the Lord.

3 Lastly, this shewes whence it is, that Israel flies, or fals at any time before their enemies; Ferus Declam. in Deut. Deus vend [...]d [...]t binc quod pau [...]i saepe multos supereat imo etiam quod Turcae sup [...]ra­runt Christiani. Deut. 32.30. that a few men of Ai rout the thousands of Israel; yea, that the very Turks over-run Christians; it is, because the rock of Israel forsakes Israel: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? the sinne of Israel makes the God of Israel, Junius Alic­nis Do [...]inis subjecit. to sell off Israel; to part, as it were, with his property in Israel, and to put them into the hands of enemies, to be seeming owners of them, and Lords over them: Yea, the Lord is forced to sell his peo­ple for a thing of nought, Psal. 44.12. as the Church complaines; God is as it were weary of his people, and puts them off, upon any tearmes; God is said not to shut up whē not deliver his into the hands of enemies. Psal 31.8. &c. the enemy never makes a purchase of Israel, till God sels off Israel; the enemy may catch, and catch at Israel, but in vaine, till God gives up Israel into their hands; the enemy never captives Israel, till the Lord shuts up, and imprisons Israel, in the power of [Page 19]the enemies: but why doth the rock forsake Israel? be­cause Israel forsakes his rock. It is but the dizzinesse of our braines, to think that the rock leaves us, when indeed we leave that. Israel beleeves not that God will carry on his work, notwithstanding all the signes and wonders wrought for Israel. Israel stoopes to a base compliance with Ashur, Israel murmures for peace, as of old, Numb. 14. against Caleb and Joshua, when they saw that the sword must de­cide the controversie between them and the Canaanites; We have a generation that are mad upon peace, any peace, rather then faile, the bloudy peace of Ireland; and that upon any termes, though they part with the Gospel of peace, and the God of peace, to make the purchase. Be­loved, should such a degenerous spirit prevaile among those that are intrusted with the great affaires of Church and State, (which the Lord forbid) then would the gene­ration of the faithfull say, with sad hearts, and weeping eyes, come, let us pack up, and be gone, and farewell En­gland: and this should be my prophesie, Isa. 17.9, 10. There shall be great desolation, because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not beene mindfull of the rock of thy strength. Oh! it is a sad thing to see the rebellion of a child constraine a loving father, to give up the child in­to the bloudy hands of an enemy inraged against child and father.

Ʋse 2 In the second place this may be for triall, whether or no, the rock of Israel be our rock. And this will be a ground of rejoycing, for property, and interest is the ground of comfort.

1 First, this rock without us, if ours, breaks the rock within us; that naturall hardnesse of heart, and rebel­lion of spirit against God; this rock turnes thy rock in­to a standing water, to wit, thy hard heart, Psal. 114.8. alluded to. into constant meltings, and mournings for sinne; it turnes thy flint into a fountaine of waters: but if all the counsels of the word fall upon thy heart, as the seed upon the rock; Luke 8.13. Jer. 5.3. if God smite thee with a rod, and thou be not grieved; [Page 20]yea, consume thee, and yet thou refusest to receive cor­rection; yea, makest thy face harder then a rock, and refusest to return: if neither Gods speaking to thy rocky heart, in a word of instruction; nor his smiting of thy rocky heart, with a rod of correction, doth make thee break and yeeld before him; then hast thou for the present, cause enough to question thy comfortable right unto, or thy saving interest in this rock of Israel.

2 Againe, if Israels rock be thy rock, then hast thou a high prizing of, a fast cleaving to this rock of Israel; a prizing of it as the Merchants Pearle, yea as a rock of Pearle, a cleaving to it as a drowning man hangs upon a rock, sticks to it, and if he dies, dies there with his armes grasping and hands clinging as it it were, pulling and ha­ling the rock unto him: a beleever looks upon God in Christ as his richest treasure, which he most prizes; as his safest resuge, Exod. 17. to which he cleaveth. That rock in the Wildernesse which the Heathen lookt upon as a bare hard stone of no worth or value, that very rock by Israel was eyed as a fountaine of life to them, and was of great esteeme among them: and that Christ who being in this world as in a Wildernesse, was lookt upon by the men of the world, Isa. 53.2. as without form or comlinesse, as if there were no beauty in him why he should be desired; that very Christ is lookt upon by beleevers as the chiefe corner­stone, 1 Pet. 2.6. elect and precious. All mankind having suffered shipwrack in Adam, Christ appeares as a planck to carry us to shoare; nay, as a rock to secure our selves in: the Gospel is as a finger pointing us unto, or as a hand lea­ding and carrying us unto, and setting us upon the rock Christ, and then, O what prizing of Christ, what clea­ving to Christ, the voyce of David is the voyce of every beleeving soule, Psal. 122.2, 3. The Lord is my rock, in him will I trust, &c.

3 Lastly, he that hath a property in this rock, builds upon it by acts of faith, and by renewed obedience; he that heares and doeth, Matt. 7.24. &c. he builds wisely, laies Christ the [Page 21]rock for a foundation, and so builds roome after roome, story upon story, grace upon grace; justification (as it were) the first story, Sanctification the second, glorificati­on the highest, even as high as Heaven, and all this upon and from the rock the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ʋse 3 In the next place, what hath beene delivered, speakes comfort to beleevers, who are in this rock; I may say to each of them, if there be any comforts in God, in Christ, in promises, in providence, its all thy portion; if thou wantest whereon to build all thy hopes, God in Christ is a rock of foundations; if enemies annoy thee, men or Devils, he is a rock of defence and shelter; if the sense of thy sinne and Gods wrath lies burning and scorch­ing upon thy spirit, he is a rock of shade to coole and refresh thee; if thou hunger and thirst after righteous­nesse, assurance of Gods love, peace of conscience, in­crease of grace, &c. he is a watering rock, a feeding rock to thy soule, onely speak to the rock by prayer, and smite the rock by acts of saith, and the living waters of con­solation will flow abundantly upon thy soule, yea suck this rock, lay thy mouth close unto it, thou shalt suck ho­ney out of it, even the sweetest graces and consolations that thy soule can wish for; if thou fearest thou shalt fall off from the rock, fall quite away, then know, thou art in that rock that is a rock of Ages, thy safety lies not in thy holding the rock, but in the rocks holding thee; this rock of Ages will preserve thy soule to all eternity. Israel murmured, rebelled, the rock onely is smitten; mankind sinned, Christ onely suffered: and that God which gave waters out of a rock to rebels for a corporall, temporall salvation, gives waters of life out of Christ more freely and abundantly to beleevers for their salvation spirituall and eternall. God put Moses into the rock, and laid his hand upon the hole of the rock, kept in Moses, and he was safe: God puts beleevers into Christ by election from eternity, and by a hand of love, of power and provi­dence holds them in Christ safe to eternity. Solace thy [Page 22]selfe against the guilt of sinne, the horror of conscience, the curses of the Law, the malice of Satan and all the powers of Hell, O thou trembling, and yet belee­ving soule, Cant. 2.14. thou art as the Dove in the clefts of the rock, safe from all these fowles of prey, that would devoure you; the portion of every beleeving soule is, what Ba­laam laies out as the portion of the Kenites, Numb. 24.21. Ainsw. thinks there is [...] to the Hebr. [...] a nest Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock: the Ke­nite thought himselfe secure, because he dwelt by Israel; O how great is the safety of a beleever who dwels in the God of Israel.

Ʋse 4 The same truth which sparkles out comfort to the friends, sends forth flames of terror upon the enemies of God, his Christ, his Cause, his People, they beat as waves against this rock, but dash themselves in peeces; the same Hebrew word that signifies a rock, signifies also an edge, a sharp knife, [...] So Exod. 4.25. Zipporah took a sharp knife or stone. or stone, so that al opposers of God in his Cause & people, do but run upon the knives point, upon the edge of Gods sword, which he wil sheath and fat in the bowels, will bath and make drunk in the bloud of his enemies. The privative misery of the ungodly, or enemies, is that this rock will not save them: the positive misery, that this rock will break them; the murmuring Israelites drank of the rock in Rephidim as well as the beleeving, but of the spirituall rock Christ and of the waters of life flow­ing from Christ, none drink but beleevers only.

Gideon slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and God will slay and sacrifice idolaters upon their Idols; Judges 7.25. that rock which is a rock of defence to Israel, proves a stone of stumbling, 1 Pet. 2.8. a rock of offence to the enemy, who stumble at the word, being disobedient, and that by the designe of God the Father, Rom. 9. last. who hath laid in Sion this stumbling stone, this rock of offence. Heare and tremble at that ter­rible Proclamation of vengeance, Matth. 21.44. Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken, but on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to powder: whosoever, be he Prince or Potentate, shall fall upon this stone, shall justle or [Page 23]brush against this corner stone Christ, shall be scandalized at him, shall oppose and persecute him in his members, in his ordinances, in his work of Reformation, shall be broken, it may be in his judgement, be crased in his intel­lectuals, filled with errours, broken in his morals, [...] Beza ob­serves out of Arist. that [...] were such things as being broken fell into small peeces. [...], Beza ad verbum, ventilabit. i. ita comminuet ut paltae & sordes minutissimae ventilabr [...] excussae. given up to vile affections, broken in his name, and his state, with dishonour and penury. There is a dreadfull Em­phasis in the originall against him, he shall be broken all in peeces, into small shivers and fitters as glasse, ice, or earthen vessels, irreparably, with a barre of iron: but on whomsoever this stone shall fall, it shall grind him to pow­der: this word also hath a dreadfull emphasis in it, and implies the grinding of him so small, that he may be cast as dust into the aire, and the wind scatter him. The poore man is in a sad case when a great man his enemy fals upon him with all his power, it beggers him and his, makes him to flie his countrey, and become a vagabond: the troublers of our Israel look upon it as a thing full of terrour, to have Parliamentary justice fall upon them, and therefore stand it out to the death, and chuse rather to be cut off by the sword of warre, then that of justice, as deeming it a lesser staine to their bloud and families, to fall by the bullet or the sword, then to die under the axe or halter; oh then how dreadfull and bitter a thing must it needs be for any to live and die in their naturals, upon whom Christ this great rock will fall in the day of judge­ment with the fulnesse of his fury? they who now are not hid in the rock, shall not then be hid from the rock, but the Kings of the earth, and the great men, Revel. 6.15.16.17. and the rich men, and the chiefe Captaines, &c. shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountaines, and shall say to the mountaines, and the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?

Ʋse 5 Lastly, the Doctrine delivered affords a word of ex­hortation to the enemies and friends of the rock of Israel.

1 First, oh you enemies, why doe you dash your heads against this rock? you will but beat out your braines thereby; come into Christ, to his cause, dwell in this rock: Jer. 48.28. let me speak to you as the Prophet to the Moa­bites, O yee that dwell in Moab, leave the Cities, and dwell in the Rock, and be like the Dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the holes mouth; this will be your wisdome, this your safety, 1 Sam. 2.2, 3. for there is none holy as the Lord, nei­ther is there any Rock like our God, as Hannah sweetly sings it out in the joy of her spirit.

2 Secondly, the counsell to beleevers, who are the friends of the God of Israel is,

1 First, that they would sacrifice praises to this rock of Israel for all the evils that they are delivered from, and for all the mercies that they are delivered to: David saith in a veine of praises, Psal. 18.46. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted; Scot­land may say, the banders prevailed not against the Co­venanters, Reformation is setled by highest Authority in despight of Papist, Prelat, Pope, or Devill, lies as Gi­deons Fleece, dry in peace, when England, Ireland, and other Nations are as the ground round about, wet and soaked in the bloud of the slaine inhabitants; and therefore let Scotland say, The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted; yea, England may say, I injoy a Parliament, a lasting, a wise and indefatigable Parliament, wherein as yet the Jacobs have beene too hard for the Esau's; I am well ea­sed of High-commission, Star-chamber, and the iron yoak of Episcopacy; I have the Lord of Hoasts fight­ing my battles for me at Keinton, Newbery, &c. I injoy a renowned Metropolis no rebellious City, and therefore let England say, The Lord-liveth, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted; yea, let both the Nations provoke each other to an height of praises, and cry each to other, Psal. 95.1. O come let us sing unto the Lord, and let us make a joyfull noyse to the God of our salva­tion; [Page 25]our care must be to get the spirit and reality of prai­ses in the sincerity of obedience, and the ingaging our selves, our estates, our liberties, our lives, our all for God and for his Cause. Hannah having the mercy of a sonne, names him Samuel, that is, asked of the Lord, 1 Sam. 1.20. makes her song of praise, and spiritualizeth her praises, lends or gives her Samuel unto the Lord; all the mercies, deliverances, victories, parts, gifts, &c. we injoy, may be named Samuels, asked of the Lord, or rather, out of preventing bounty, given of the Lord; our returne of praises must be our lending, our giving all back againe unto the Lord; Zach. 14.20. you have already in a degree fulfilled that prophesie of Zachary, have wrote upon the bels, or bridles of your horses, Holinesse unto the Lord; upon your pots, your bowles, your plate, Holinesse unto the Lord; write on still you wise States-men, write upon your fore­heads, upon yor brain-pans, Holinesse unto the Lord. You rich men and wealthy, write upon your bagges, and purses, Holinesse unto the Lord; your lending to God in his cause will be upon the best usury, and when all is done, Publike­faith under Heaven, is the best security. You valiant Commanders and brave resolute Souldiers, young men and strong, write upon your armes and thighes, up­on your swords and speares, Holinesse unto the Lord; goe on in a pious prodigality of your bloud and lives: the Cause is good, look to the grounds and principles you move upon, to the ends you aime at, that they be good also, and then I will say of you, Cyprian. Occi­d [...]poterant, vin­ [...]i non poterant. as Cyprian said of perse­cuted Christians, you may be slaine, but not overcome: when you die with the Cause of Christ in your hearts and in your hands; and when you are ingaged in the battle, drink downe this cordiall Dilemma, If you live, you will live honoured, if you die, you will die mar­tyred.

2 Againe, be exhorted to be rocks one to another, dash not one against another; what though there be variety of judgements among us, why may we not be one in [Page 26]our affections? why not one against the common adver­sary? The Sheep, though they butt and thump one ano­ther, yet they will all head together against the Dogge. I hope in God that he will make the Assembly of Diviner a patterne of agreement to all the friends of truth and peace that behold them; I will wait for the fulfilling of that promise (if not a Synod promise, yet a promise, as some conclude, Leighs Treat. of promises. of the sweet accord of Ministers in the daies of the Gospel) Ephraim shall not envie Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim, Is [...]. 11.13, 14. but they shall flie upon the shoulders of the Philistins, &c. to wit, lay out their strength against the publike enemy of truth and peace. And you the Worthies, Heb. 12.14. follow peace (I meane not a base complying peace with the publike enemy, for private ends) but a sweet unanimous peace among your selves, P [...]sar Lex. [...], de re dictam sign [...]fi­c [...] [...] obli [...]d. [...] fol­low it as the Hue and Cry followes the flying felons, follow it as the young Gentleman followes his game in chase over hedge and ditch, through thick and thin, thus follow peace among your selves with greedinesse and de­light; jarring and divisions here, is the best musick and melody that can be made elsewhere among your ene­mies at home or abroad. And now could I lift up my voyce like a Trumpet, and speak to all the Counties of the Kingdome, my advice should be, that they would stick to, and be rocks to the Parliament, which is a rock to them, to contend earnestly for the faith for Religion, as also for Lawes and Liberties. It is Englands sinne and misery, that many parts of the Kingdome, either poyson­ed by a rotten Ministery, or misled by a loose Gentry, have deserted the Parliament, and therein God, his Cause, his people yea, their owne priviledges and them­selves also; the very same men that not long since groa­ned for a Parliament, now (though without cause) groane under it, like the sickle froward child that cries for this thing and that, and no sooner hath it, but is weary of it, and cries as fast. Away with it, away with it; or like the giddy Jewes, shouting Hosanna, Hosanna, and with the [Page 27]same breath, Crucifie him, Crucifie him; or like the fret­full Patient, who drinks downe the Potion, but when he feeles it worke, doth up with it againe; or as the hand that laies on the plaister, because it smarts a little, the same hand teares it off againe; and would the unnatu­rall Parliament, and Kingdome-deserters speak out, their reason would be the enmity, and the rancour of their spirits against Christ and his work of Reformation: the prophane selfish people would have had mans carnall yoake taken off from their shoulders, but not Christs spirituall yoake laid on; longed to have the wals and houses of Jerusalem built, but not the Temple, the af­faires of the State setled, but not of the Church; this Kingdoms peace and plenty they greedily desired, but not the glory of Christs Kingdome; and though often they patter over their Pater-Noster, yet they never say in faith and truth, thy Kingdome come: and the cause (in a word) why these are so little for the Parliament, is, because the Parliament is so much for God, for Christ, his cause and people.

3 Lastly, Build upon this rock for all good personall and Nationall, for all evill to the enemies, they shall fall, Deut 32.35. build upon it, to God belongeth vengeance and recompence, their feet shall slide in due time, for the day of their ca­lamity is at hand, and the things that come upon them make hast; live by faith, that is a building grace, lie low in humiliation, selfe-judging, sin-abhorring, that is to build also; if thou sayest, I cannot beleeve, cannot get into the rock, yet then intreat the rock to lead thy soule unto, and to set it upon the rock; so David, Psal. 61.2. from the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher then I. If againe thou object and say, I cannot mourne for my owne sinnes, much lesse for the abominations of the times, Job 29.6. alluded to. Jer. 23.29. yet still goe to that God who makes the rock to powre out rivers of oyle, to that God whose word is a fire to melt thy heart, a hammer to break that rock in peeces. [Page 28]Again, Psal. 18.2, 3. Matth. 7.24. build in prayer. So David, The Lord is my rock, I will trust in him, I will call upon the Lord. Yet further, be single hearted in obedience, that is building also; yea, it concerns those that have power in their hands, to give out an act of obedience to God in execution of judgement upon his enemies; 1 Sam. 15.22. there is a time when obedience is better then sa­crifice; yea, obedience, in putting of Agags to the sword, according to Gods command; Thanksgi­ving for the vi­ctory obtained by the Lord Fairfax at Sel­by in Yorkshire. Psal. 106.30. yester dayes feasting was good, and this dayes fasting good, and (let none think it bloudy divinity if I say) execution of judgement is good also Phineas stood up & executed judgement, and so the Plague was staied. Joshuah prayeth, and prayeth till the eventide, rents his cloaths, puts dust upon his head, &c. But what saith the Lord to Joshuah? Joshua 7.10, 11 Get thee up, wherefore liest thou upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they also have trans­gressed my Covenant which I commanded them, &c. Where­by God tutored Joshuah to this, that the readiest way to conquer Ai, was to stone Achan.

I know many sad thoughts concerning this lie in the spirits of beleevers, and therefore wonder not though I become your remembrancer herein this day.

Let me beseech you the Worthies of the Nation, in the bowels of Christ to goe on resolutely in the Cause of Christ; true, your oppositions have beene, and pro­bably will be great and many, yet may you for the present, set up a Marble Monument of praises, and name it Eben-Ezer, 1 Sam. 7.12. the stone of help; and say with Samuel, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Me thinks I see you like Jonathan and his Armour-bearer, 1 Sam. 14. climbing and clam­bring up the rocks upon your hands and upon your feet, yet know your successe shall be glorious the Phili­stins slaine and vanquished; it was a good saying, that the Event of that warre cannot be dubions where the Lord of Hoasts is Generall. Eraz. Mar. Deo dace non potest esse dubi­us belli eventus. Rev. 10.5, 6. &c. God hath sworne the fall of Antichrist and his adherents, and that with such solemnity (to strengthen Faith, and quicken Prayer) that scarce the like in all the Scriptures, The Angell that sweares is Christ, his [Page 29]swearing gesture or posture was, he stands upon the Sea and upon the Earth, and lift up his hand to Heaven; and whom sweares he by? by Him that lives for ever and ever, who cre­ated Heaven and the things that therein are, and the Earth, &c. his Oath is by the Eternall Creator, and what sweares he? Par. in loc. that there should be time no longer, to wit, that Antichrist should be ruined, his adherents scattered.

Let my closing counsell be in the words of Jehosophat to Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 20.20 Beleeve in the Lord your God, so shall yee be established; beleeve his Pro­phets, so shall yee prosper. And in his words also, 2 Chron. 19.11 to the Priests and Levits, Deale couragiously, and the Lord shall be with the good, the good God with a good cause and a good people; and when things are at the lowest, let our faith be then at the highest, triumphing over dangers and feares, because their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being Judges.