THESE Words are part of the confession extorted out of the mouth of Balaam, who was a Chaplain fit for Balak in that cursed design of his against the Israelites, who was resolved if he could not flectere superos, Acheronta movere: Now when this Witch had tryed all his skill in the black Art, and improved all his interest in the Devill, he is forced to break out into this acknowledgment, Surely, &c.

In the words there is a Confession first; secondly, a Decla­ration. [Page 2] In the Confession, there is his owne sin implyed; for it is as if he should have said, If divinations, or enchantments, or spels, or witchcraft and conjuring in any kind, could have brought downe curses on Israel, they should have been cursed with a vengeance: 2. In the confession there is a tacite acknow­ledgement of the over-ruling hand of God, which was too hard for all the powers of darknesse, who preserved Israel, maugre all that the wit and strength of malice can doe to the contrary.

Secondly, in the Declaration there is set downe what God had done for his people, or what God might doe, or may doe, or would doe; for the words have all these versions, [...]; our translation, What hath God wrought? reach­eth the Originall: the Sept. [...]. The Syriack. Quid operetur Deus. The Cald. paraphr. Quid operatus sit Deus.

The Samaritan pentat. is the same with our translat. Quid fecit Deus; and this shall I follow.

In all which senses and versions, we may observe; first, the strangenesse and wonder of the things which God would work for his people: for as it was a very strange thing in the eyes of Balaam, that by all his sorceries he was able to doe no mischiefe at that time; so according to that time for the fu­ture the Lord would preserve as miraculously his servants: Se­condly, you have the effect that these wonders should work in the hearts of them that see them, and that is admiration, a suitablenesse of affection to the greatnesse and wonder of the things wrought by God for his people.

There be severall Doctrines might be raised hence, but ac­cording to the two generals, I will present two propositions onely: The first is a Doctrine of it selfe, but you may take it thus:

First, that all the sorceries, witchcraft and stratagems, con­trived and carried on by the wit and malice, and power of hell against the Church of God, shall prove vaine and succes­lesse.

Secondly, the wonderfull things which God hath wrought and will work for his Church and people, shall be, and also [Page 3] are matter of astonishment and wonder unto all.

I shall insist at present on the latter of these two Doctrines, as being very suitable to our condition in this Kingdome, which of late hath been a theater of wonders, so that we may call its name as Abraham did, Gen. 22. 14. of that place where he was to offer Isaac, Jehovah jireh. In the handling of which I shal propound, first, what things God hath or will work; second­ly, How? thirdly, When? fourthly, Why? fiftly, The Uses which may be made of the Doctrine.

First, What are the wonders that God hath wrought? First, they be rare, they be such as usually and frequently are 1. What are the wonders which God hath wrought? not brought to passe; such things as happen rarely, are mat­ter of wonder, and draw the eyes of men to them, though they have naturall causes; as Eclipses, &c.

Secondly, Incognita, such things of which the world is not acquainted withall, whose causes and ends men cannot reach unto, they being ultra captum.

Thirdly, Insperata, such things as are beyond ordinary hopes, so they are ultra spem, as well as ultra captum, as being out of the compasse of nature, such things are beyond power and parts lying out of the spheare of naturall possibility.

Fourthly, Repugnantia, such things as are contrary to the course of nature, and are abhorring from the naturall streame and tide of the creature: All things that carry these chara­cters on them are matter of wonder.

Now the things which God doth for his people, they are The wonder­full things which God doth for his people are of two sorts. iether spirituall or temporall.

These spirituall things in order to salvation are indeed ad­miranda; let but any one consider from whence to what a state we are recovered, and he must say, as it is, Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! &c. that we should be raised from a state of privation, being devested of all good; from a state of enmity, against all good; a state in which we were lyable to the curses written and unwritten, &c. to be raised from so low, and vile, and miserable, and abominable state, to be the children of God. John puts an Ecce, a note of admiration on it, 1 John 3. 1, 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called [Page 4] the sonnes of God, &c. That we that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death, should be raised up to sit together in hea­venly places in Christ Jesus, Ephes. 2. 6. this is wonderfull, and we may truly say, What hath God wrought? That we that have so many wayes provoked the Lord to destroy us, should be pardoned is wonderfull: the Church speaks of it by way of wonder, Micah 7. 18. Who is God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heri­tage? Is it not matter of wonder that God should say, I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgression, &c. Isa. 43. 25. to them he speaks that had not called on him, that were weary of him, that did not sacrifice to him, that would not serve him, but made him to serve with their sinnes, verse 22, 23. To goe over all the particulars that might be insisted on, would be a vast thing; I proceed therefore to temporals, and shall consider what great things God hath wrought in them.

Secondly, for temporall things, there is abundant matter of wonder in them: He is wonderfull in his protection and preservation of his people; the Church may alwayes fing the 124. Psalme, If it had not been the Lord who was on our side. &c. they had swallowed us up quick, &c. for a company of Sheep and Lambs to live in the midst of whole Heards and Droves of Wolves and Tygers, and all sorts of Beasts of prey is much; for the Bush to burn, and not to be consumed; for the vessell of the Church to be full of waves sometimes, and not to be drowned; for the male child newly borne to be kept from the Dragon with seven heads and ten hornes, Revel. 12. 3, 4. that the Lilly should live in the midst of Thornes, and not be torne in pieces; that the people of God should be safe in the midst of principalities and powers, and spirituall wick­ednesses, which bring out all their traine of Artilery, that come furnished with all the ammunition and magazine of hell: This is wonderfull preservation.

Secondly, he is wonderfull in his salvation and deliveran­ces of his people out of the greatest dangers and out of many deaths; when God delivered his people from the power of the Aegyptians, then Moses in his Song, Exod. 15. 11. say, Who is [Page 5] a God like unto thee, &c. working wonders? When the people of God were delivered out of captivity, they were like men in a dream, Psal. 126. 1. nay, the heathen themselves said, the Lord hath done great things for them, ver. 2.

Thirdly, he is wonderfull in the destruction that he brings by them on their enemies, Is. 41. 14. 15, 16. that a worm should be as a new threshing instrument to thresh the moūtains, and beat them small, and fan them, &c. is a wonder: that Israel a poore contemned people, should be the battle-axe of God, and his weapons of warre, to break in pieces the Nations, and to destroy Kingdomes, &c. Jer. 51. 20, 21. this is won­derfull; that a poore captivated people, even Jerusalem, bro­ken and undone, should be a cup of trembling to all round about, and a burthensome stone for all people, and cut them in pieces, &c. Zech. 12. 2, 3, 6. that the stone cut out of the mountaine without hands, should break in pieces the iron the brasse, the clay, the silver and the gold, Dan. 2. 45. In this respect it may be said, and it shall be said, What hath God wrought?

Fourthly, he is wonderfull in his provision for them: It is the lot of the people of God to be driven into great streights and extremities, as the people of Israel were in the Wildernesse; yet as God did still provide a supply for them, so he will also for his people, Isa. 41. 17, 18, 20. When the poore and needy seeke water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will heare them, &c. I will open Rivers in high places, &c. and Psal. 34. 10. The young Lyons doe lacke, and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any thing.

These things which God works in his owne wonderfull way, they are such, first, as nature never doth; or secondly, he doth work them so as that they are not brought to passe in the order and method of nature; or thirdly, not by the principles of nature; now they are said to be miracula quod su­perent captum ingenii, ac homini incutiunt stuporem, Funger. Ety­mol. Latin. grae.

The second thing propounded was, How the Lord would 2. How will, or how hath the Lord wrought these wonders? work wonderfull things for his people.

First, when contraries are made to produce effects opposite [Page 6] to themselves: As when out of the greatest disadvantages he 1. When con­traries pro­duce effects opposite to themselves: This is three wayes. works the greatest advantage; out of greatest losses he extracts the greatest gains, out of ruines he works a reparation: When God suffers his people to be beaten into victories, and routed into triumphs, and undone into riches, so that it may be said many times periissent, nisi periissent: this is done, first, when he works on the affections, when he carries them against their owne streame and tide, turnes curses into blessings, as in Ba­laams case, and hatred into favour, and malignity into mercy, and spite into love, as he did in Laban toward Jacob, Gen. 30. 24. and in Esau, Gen. 33. 6. and in Abimelech toward Abraham Gen. 20. 14, 15, 16. These however they were as Wolves in their purposes and resolutions, yet the issues were most like Lambes. This is wonderfull, and we may say, Who is a God like unto thee, that canst thus work?

Secondly, when God turnes wisdome into folly, that there should be the wisest Counsels, and the most foolish results and issues, 2 Sam. 17. 1, 2, &c. by making the wisest men give the advice of fools, Isa. 29. 14. the wisdome of the wise shall pe­resh, &c. and Joh 12. 16, 17. He leads Counsellours away spoyled, and maketh the Judges fooles; or, when he makes use of such as are accounted fools to confound the wise, 1 Cor. 1. 27. then it may be said, Who is a God like unto thee?

Thirdly, when weaknesse produceth strong effects, then it may be said, the Lord works wonderfully, 1 Cor. 1. 27. we have an instance, Judges 7. 20. and Joshua 4. 20. that the soun­ding of Rams hornes, like so many Rams against the wals of Jericho, should batter them downe, that Jonathan and his Ar­mour-bearer should rout an Army, 1 Sam. 14. that Shamgar with an Oxe Goad should slay six hundred men, Judges 3. 31 that Sampson with the Jaw-bone of an Asse should slay a thou­sand, Judges 15. 16. that David, a puny, should encounter with, and conquer Goliah, a man of war armed, with a stone in a sling, is wonderfull; or else, when strong and probable 2. When there be great dis­appeintments of great hope: and this is done four wayes. causes produce weak effects; as if a mighty Army should come against a small weak City, and not be able to take it, Eccles. 9. 14, 15.

2. When there be strange frustrations of very great expe­ctations; [Page 7] first, when a designe is built on power and po­licy, and carried on with skill and dexterity, then there be great hopes; now to have such teeming hopes strangled in the birth, or even when they are betwixt the womb and the world, is matter of very great wonder; not to obtaine where there is great probability, a bare disappointment in such a case is much; for the wit of hell to be puzzelled, and non­plussed, for the power of men and devils, to be confounded in their full carreer; when they are riding post, for their Cha­riot wheels then to then to be taken off when they run most smoothly and swiftly, this is a great disappointment; —Recoctus scriba ex quin­quevivo corvū delusit hia item to frustrate a man when he is with open mouth ready to take in a prey, or even to fetch it out from between his Bolus creptus faucibus, Cru­cior said Te­rence (in scip­ipsum excru­ciante) bolum tantum est mihi esse creptum a faucibus. teeth, as it is Amos 3. 12. as the Shepheard taketh out of the mouth of the Lyon two legs, or a piece of an eare, &c. this is wonder­full frustration: nay, when they have swallowed downe the prey, and it is now under the second concoction, then to dis­appoint them is more strange, Job 20. 15. He hath swallowed downe riches, and he shall vomit them up againe: when the wicked have eaten and devoured the Saints, and as the Whale did by Jonah, swallow them downe also, so that they seem to be dead and buried, and the conclamatum est hath passed upon them, and no returning or recovery [...]: as one in Athe­naeus speaks of one past reco­very, and as Lucretius l. 3. expresseth it; Mortalem vi­tam mars cui immortalis a­demit. lookt for, yet then to make these Whales to cast up all their Jonahs and to land them safe, for these that were dead and buried to rise againe, is an extraor­dinary disappointment, and a wonderfull and astonishing thing, Revel. 11. 7, 8, 9,-11.

Secondly, there be great disappointments, when expectati­ons are made ones destruction, when hopes fall on the authors head and dash his braines out, when one is not onely disap­pointed of the good that he lookt for from the child of his hopes, of which he travelled, but this child, like Adramelech and Sharezer, sonnes to Senacharib, kill their father that begat them, Isa. 37. 37, 38. We read of the wicked, Jer. 16. 16. how they are called Hunters and Fishers, because they hunt and fish, and persecute the people of God; now that these hunters should be taken in their owne toyles, and these fishers should be caught by their owne Angles, hanged on their own hooks, [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 8] tangled in their owne Nets, is wonderfull: We have many instances, Judges 5. 28, 29, 30. how full of hopes was the Mother of Sisera and the rest with her, and yet what ruine followed, even by them which they had swallowed up in their purposes and expectations, Exod. 15. 9. the enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoyle, my lust shall be satisfi­ed on them, I will destroy them: And yet all fell out not onely praeter spem, but contra, as much as could be: So, Judges 7. 22. & 1 Sam. 14. 20. & 2 Chron. 20. 22, 23. they that brought weapons of cruelty to destroy the people of God, are so farre from doing them any hurt, that they kill and destroy one another: How was Haman and the enemies of Daniel disap­pointed, and by their owne plots ruined, Hester. 8. & Dan. 6. 24. thus doth God take the wicked in their owne craft, Job 5. 12, 13, 14, 15. and he that digs a pit for another, is buried in his owne grave, Psal. 9. 15, 16. which is matter of great wonder, and to which David affixeth, Higgaion Selah.

Thirdly, when there be strange discoveries beyond all pro­bability or expectation, when plots secretly and wisely conti­nued and managed, and almost ripe for an issve, it is a great disappointment, then in that nick of time, to be discovered: As it fared with that monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens (and when fire was ready to be given, the match and powder were now meeting) cui lumen ademptum: I need not tell what I mean, every one knowes the Powder-treason to be even as the first­borne of Hell and Rome together: How did the Lord disco­ver the Counsels of the King of Syria, when they were ready for execution, 2 Kings 8. 9. And how did the Lord discover that plot against the death of Paul, Acts 23. 14, 15, &c.

Fourthly, when counsels and designes in their prosecution running in a full streame, have been turned cleane another way, by some unlookt for emergency, 1 Sam. 23. 26, 27, 28. Saul in a hot pursuance of David, is taken off by a messenger that came and told him, the Philistians had invaded the Land: by this meanes very often it is, that the wicked are a ransome for the righteous, Prov. 21. 18. 3. The third way which God takes to work wonders for his people

A third way that God takes to work these great things, is when by himself or by some of his creatures, he brings strange [Page 9] confusion on his adversaries, and strange deliverance for his people: How did the Lord with a mighty hand deliver the people of Israel out of Aegypt, and with a mighty hand destroy their enemies, Exod. 7, 8, 9. chap. & 15. 10. the Lord did blow with his wind, and the waters covered them; so when with his Angel he destroyed in a night one hundred forty five thousand men: he delivered Elisha, 2 Kings 6. 18, 19. by smi­ting the enemy with blindnesse; he withered Jeroboams hand, stretched out against the Prophet, 1 Kings 13. 4. God some­time doth let forth some visible demonstrations of his wrath against his enemies, so that it may he truly said, What hath God wrought? How did God smite Arrius? how did God take vengeance on him, Arrius in foelix, qui curva per avia rectumflectere visus iter, foveam delapsus in atram,Corruit, & tetri mersus petit ima profundi:tam vacuus sensu, justae quam tempore poenaeVisceribus fusis vacuus quoque ventre remansit,Caelius Sidulius.— Vid. Paurentii Pudovici, Orat. 1. eccles. vet. nov. Vid. Francisc. Baldwinum Jctum, De Constantini Imp. legibus ecclefiast. atque civil, l. 1. Camerar. Cent. 3. c. 3. Nathan Chytraeus in viatico itine­ris extemi. causing a sudden consternation of mind to fall upon him, who betaking himselfe to a Privy, did emp­ty his bowels there? the death of Julian and Herod was most eminent from Gods hand immediately; the death of that he­retick Olympius was remarkable at that time, when he vented his herefie against the Trinity, he was smitten with fiery darts from heaven; and Anastasius the Emperour, when he would needs have a quaternity worshipped, was struck with a thun­derbolt from heaven; so that in this respect also we may tru­ly say, What hath God wrought? I might be large in instances out of Ecclesiasticall story, but I forbeare.

Fourthly, when the Lord doth seem to alter and overthrow the course of nature in the deliverance of his people, and the ruine of their enemies: It is observed by Vid more Ne­vech. p. 2. c. 29 R. Moses Maiemoni­des, that the Prophet Isaiah, when he speaks of the destruction of a people, and the deliverance of his Church, he makes use of expressions of wouder and astonishment; as of the falling of starres, the perishing of the heavens, the darkning of the Sun, the devastation of the earth, &c. Isa. 13. 10, 13. prophe­sying of the ruine of Babel, he useth such expressions of won­der; and Isa. 24. 23. prophesying of the ruine of Sennacharib, he sayes the like; both these were inveterate enemies of the Church: So also he speaks of the rescue and deliverance of the Church, Isa. 30. 26. & 34. 3, 4. speaking of the ruine of Edom, which had long afflicted the people of God, and so would prove safety and deliverance unto them, he useth words of terrour and wonder: All the host of heaven shall be dis­solved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all their host shall fall downe as the leafe falleth off from the Vine, and as a falling fig from the Fig-tree: so also Isa. 51. 6. he speaks his consola­tion here, with chiding them for forgetting him that had made the heavens and earth, &c. then ver. 16. when he speaks of what great things he would doe for Zion, he sayes, That he will plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, Thou art my people. We read the like expressions elswhere as Isa. 60. 20. 65. 17. &c. Ezek. 32. 7. Joel 2. 10. Hag. 2. 7. Joel 2. 11,-30. In these and the like places the Lord useth such expressions and words, as if he would alter and overturn the whole frame of the Universe, and begin the world anew, when he purposeth to doe great things for his people: We read of very strange and prodigious things in the Roman sto­ry, scattered up and downe, which God wrought, then especi­ally when he had a purpose to bring some notable confusion on the enemies of Gods people; there be Julius obsi­qutus de prodi­gris Polydore, Virgill. 3. de Prodigiis, speaks of these prodigies with somcuse to the Church. divers that have taken paines to set downe these wonders, but without any respect to the mind of God in them with reference to his Church; yet Josephus Josephus l. 7 c. 82. De bello Judaico, he complaines of the great neg­lect of these strange things which God wrought, for sayes he, spea­king of the wonders, [...], &c. Pliny also tels us of a strange appa­rition in the Heavens ob­served by Hip­parebus, who lived toward the end of the Grecian Mo­narchy, about 120. yeers be­fore Christ: Which prodi­gious star then appearing, did by the consent of the learned foreshew the declining of the Greek Monarchy, and the rise and strength of the Roman Empire. hath taken notice of many signes in [Page 11] the heavens and earth before the destruction of Jerusalem: one of the most famous alterations in the Heavens w^ch hath had its most remarkable influences below, was in the yeer 1572. when there appeared a strange light, exceeding in the appa­rent brightnesse thereof all the fixed stars, and shewing forth a bright and majesticall lustre, not in the night onely, but at noon day also: It was the wonder of the world, and the work and businesse of all the Astronomers of Europe; but Ti­cho Brahe a Noble man of Denmark treateth of this starre in above 500. pages of his book, called by the name of Astrono­mica Progymnasmata: In which book he speakes of the influ­ences of this star, and the overthtow of States and Kingdoms, and reparation and glory of the Church: I make mention of these onely to shew how the Lord doth great things, even overthrowing or changing and altering the frame and course of nature: As for the operations or portending signification of superiour lights, I think it cannot be denied, but that ex­traordinary wonders visible in the heavens may have their significations and impressions also: nor may it be altogether incongruous literally to interpret those words, Joel 2. 30. I will shew wonders in the heavens and the earth, partly of that fla­ming sword, like the Comet Egesip. de ex­cid. urbis Hie­rasol. l. 5. c. 44. Nam per an­num fere supra templum ipsum Comites, passim ignis & gladii quandam prae­ferens similitu­dinem denunci­abat quo (que) ferra & igni gentis & regni urbi (que) ipsius vastita­tem futuram: quid enim si­militudo gladii nisi bellum? quid ignis nisi incendium de­nunciaret. The third thing propounded, is concer­ning the sea­son and time when it shall be said, What God wrought? that appeared as a forewarner of the destruction of Jerusalem.

The third thing propounded was, when it shall be said What hath God wrought? for the time:

When creature helps faile; first, in point of prudence they know not how to advise: secondly, in point of power, they know not how to deliver or save, Deut. 32. 35, 36. thirdly, in occasionall emergent difficulties, such as could neither be foreseen nor prevented: fourthly, in great extremities and streights, when enemies are very high and the Saints are very low; when heaven and earth and hell seem to joyne issue, when God himselfe seemes to take part against the Church, then she is in the greatest extremity, ahd when she is in this case, then doth God arise and help her.

Indeed Gods season is, when it seems to be past season, his time is when it is past time, Isa. 33. when the people of God [Page 12] are in a forlorne condition, given up for lost, then God, ver. 10. sayes, Now will I arise, now will I he exalted, now will I lift up my selfe: Now, now, now, he repeats it three times with va­riety of language, there is something more then ordinary in that expression, so trebled as it is, to encourage their sinking souls, who thought God would not, or could not, or had alto­gether laid aside the thoughts and care of helping them; when the wound is past cure, then he undertakes the cure, Jer. 30. 12, 13. there it is said, Thy wound is incurable, and ver. 17. It is said, I will cure thee: When all passages are blockt up, when there is a close siege of difficulties and impossibilities, when dangers are inextricable, and the matter past recovery, then is Gods time; when the ship is full of waves, Mat. 8. 24. when Lazarus was dead and buried, John 11. 21, 32, 39. when the woman had spent all she had upon Physitians, and there was as little hope as mony left, Luke 8. 43. then is the Lords time to work and fetch out of the fire as it were, Zech. 3. 2. and from the dead, Revol. 11. 11. and from the ruines and destru­ction of death, Ezek. 37. 7, 10, 11.

The fourth thing propounded was, why doth God thus The fourth Particular propounded, was concerning the reason, why doth God thus appeare in such a won­derfull man­ner for his people. The first rea­son respects Gods glory. appeare for his people; first, to magnifie his owne glory more; the first end respects Gods glory: there be three things in the wonderfull proceedings of God that magnifie him very much: First, there is a mystery in the proceedings of God; mysteries affect with wonder and admiration, and the Lord doth carry on his work in a very mysterious way, and in a hidden manner: Isa. 45. 15. it is said, Thou art a God which hidest thy selfe, spoken with reference to the great things which he would doe for his people: so also, Hab. 3. 4. He had hornes came out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power: there be many intricacies of providence, Ezek. 1. 16. and perplexed and involved difficulties; so Zech. 1. 8. the Lord Christ is in that vision presented in a Wood, and in a bottome, not easi­ly discerned, when he comes to work for his people; myste­ries doe affect with wonder more, and they magnifie the Lord more.

Secondly, there is a majesty in these wonders, and this doth [Page 13] cause men to admire also & to magnifie the Lord; he seems to goe in state as it were, when he will doe great things for his people, Deut. 33. 26. The Lord rideth on the heavens for thy help, and his excellency on the skie: so Hab. 3. 8, 9. the Lord appeares in his Majesty there, and ver. 10, 11, the Sun and other crea­tures seem to be trembling and wondring; and Nahum 1. 3, 4. the Lord is brought in, in a glorious manner; and then, ver. 5. The mountaines quake, &c. this also doth magnifie the Lord, and shew forth his glory.

Thirdly, there is a peculiar excellency in Gods great workes which doth affect the heart with wonder; the ex­cellency of his wisdome shewes it selfe in infatuating and bla­sting the councels of the wise, and of his power that shines in breaking their strength, in which the wicked are so confi­dent; the excellency of his justice that appeares in the execu­tion of the wicked, and vindication of his peoples cause; the excellency of his faithfulnesse and truth breaks out in ma­king good his Word, and fulfilling his promises. This is the first reason why God doth work wonders for his, in which there is a mystery, a majesty, and a peculiar excellency ap­peares.

A second thing respects the enemies of Gods people; first, The second reason re­spects the enemies of the Saints two wayes. 1. That the confusion of the enemies might be the more notable. that so the greater confusion and shame may come on the e­nemies of the Saints; for God to deliver his Saints from many, and mighty, and malicious enemies is a wonder, espe­cially when it is with great confusion on the adversaries. There is by so much the greater confusion on the wicked, by how much the more sure they made themselves of the ruine of Gods people, and by how much the more the enemy was exalted, as it is Obad. 3. 4. the Lord orders it so in his provi­dence, that the confusion and shame of the wicked shall have all the ingredients in it, that so the wonder may be the grea­ter: first, they shall conceive great hopes of accomplishing their designes. Secondly, they shall carry on those hopes with much successe even almost to a desired issue; they shall plow, and sowe, and be ready to reape. Thirdly, there shall be disap­pointment sudden, unexpected, unavoidable, irrecoverable. [Page 14] Fourthly, that which they least of all looked for shall come to passe, even that themselves should be destroyed by them whom they thought to destroy, Zech. 12. 2, 3. Jerusalem is a cup of trembling, she that was rather as a cup of wine that might invite an adversary to drinke it up, for sweet wine being in a cup tempts more then being in a Butt or Barrel, and is in dan­ger of being swallowed downe; now that this cup which is so exposed to every one that goes by, should be a cup of poy­son and ruine to them that thought to devoure it, carries much shame and confusion. It is said that it shall be a bur­thensome stone; it is not said it shall be as a milstone, or a mountain to crush in peeces, for if the Church were of a migh­ty bulke and greatnesse able to make its part good with an adversary, then perhaps they would not be so eager against it. There is no man going by a stone of many loads and of a mighty weight will attempt to remove it, but a little stone that lyes in ones way that may be spurn'd w^ch the foot, or takē up in the hand & cast away: a stone, first, that is little; second­ly, that lyes ready in the way to be cast aside, or made use of. Thirdly, in which is a fitnesse for use to ones selfe; such a stone carries a kinde of temptation with it to one to carry it away; such a stone the Church seemes to be in the eyes of her enemies; the Church of God lyes in the way of wicked men, as a little contemptible stone that they need not take much pains withall, but such as they may kick out of the way with the foot, or easily cast it away with their hand; now that this stone should be like many milstones and mountains to dash the wicked in peeces, that is the greater confusion and shame.

A second respect is in regard of the great terrour, as well as 2. That there might be the greater terror brought on the wicked. the great shame which God bringeth on the wicked, Exod. 15. 14, 15, 16. when God had wrought that wonderfull delive­rance for his people, and confusion of their adversaries, the enemies round about were afraid; so it was also Josh 2. 9, 10, 11. & 5. 1. & Deut. 2. 25. & Numb. 22. 2, 3, 6. The third rea­son respects the people of God them­selves.

The third reason why God will worke strange things for his people against their enemies, respects the people of [Page 15] God themselves; that they might appeare the more glorious, and be knowne to be saved by the Lord, Deut. 33. 29. Happy art thou O Isrel, who is like unto thee? saved by the Lord, &c. so al­so 2. Sam. 7. 23. What one Nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went out to redeem from a people to himselfe, and to make him a name, and to doe for you great things and terrible? &c. this was it which did make the people of God so famous and glorious that God had done such wonders for them.

Now we shall proced to use, first, of caution: God hath The fift parti­cular propounded was, what use may be made of this which hath bin spoken of these wonders of the Lord. The first Use is a Use of cau­tion. wrought great things for you: (Honourable and beloved) take heed least by your ingratitude, you cause him to doe great things against you: It hath been said, what hath God wrought for you? beware that it be not said, what hath God wrought against you? he hath made you the wonders of his mercy, take heed that he doth not make you the wonders of his fury: It hath been said, what hath God wrought, that hath magnified his wisdome in carrying on your affaires; take heed he doth not leave you to your selves, and so you be­come the wonders of folly and madnesse to all the world; he hath magnified his power in your behalfe, take heed he doth not dismantle you, and lay you naked, and make you won­ders of weaknesse, and expose you as a prey to the most contemptible enemy: he hath made you the wonders of his protection and love, take heed he doth not make you the wonders of his rejection, as it was with Israel.

I suppose a caveat now cannot be thought unseasonable, in regard I find that the greatest temporall mercies which ever God gave to his people, were given with the greatest caveats and many provisoe's, they were given under lock and key as it were, a mercy and a caution, as a keeper to goe along with it to see to the good behaviour of him that hath it in the use of it: The Lord did nurture the Israelites, being to enter into Canaan, and he did discipline them beforehand, and give them many caveats, Deut. 4. 1, 2. there is an exhortation to obedi­ence being to enter into Canaan, & ver. 5, 6. speaking of go­ing in thither, take heed therefore, sayes he, ver. 9. & 14, 15, 16. he speaks to the same purpose, & ver. 22, 23. & 38, 29, 40. [Page 16] take heed, &c. then againe, chap. 6. 10, 11, 12. speaking of the plenty of Canaan, then beware, sayes he to them; and Deut. 8. 10, 11. take heed, againe: David gives Solomon (speaking of great things that he should enjoy) warning to beware; and Christ said to him that he healed, John 5. 14. Sin no more, &c.

Now there is great reason of this, because upon the receipt of great mercies, we are in danger of great sins: we find that they which have been the wonders of the world in regard of great favours from God, have been the wonders of the world after, for great sins against God: Noah had the favour to be preserved in the Arke from that universall deluge when the world was drowned, and Noah not long after was drowned in drunkennesse. Lot had that great mercy shewed him to be delivered out of Sodom, and after! that he turned Zoar into a Sodom by his uncleannesse: How shamefully did David fall, after those multitude of favours he had from God 2 Sam. 12. 7, 8, 9. How did Hezekiah shew himselfe to be very unthank­full, after such mercies as all the world might wonder at: How did Jonah qvarrell with God presently after after he came out of the Whales belly: How did Peter deny his Master with an oath, that had the honour (besides other favours) to see him transfigured in the mount? We are in danger, first, It is reported of Philip King of Macedon, that he appointed a Lad to come to him every morn­ing before any other, and say to him three times, Philipe homo [...]es, least upon the suc­cesse of his vi­ctories over the Athenians he might for­get himselfe, Aelian. variar. Histo. l. 8. c. 15 that of Tacitus is sure, acrius explorant ani­mum resprospe­rae quam ad­versae, Terrul. in Apologet. Arrian, l. 3. of pride, of being lifted up above our selves: It was the sin of Ʋzziah, 2 Chron. 26. 16. when he waxed strong his heart was lifted up: secondly, we be in danger of forgetfulnesse, Dent. 8. 16. thirdly, They that write of the ruine of King­doms & Com­mon-wealths, do give this as on caus & that a chief one, to wit, prosperity Althus. Polit. l. 23. c. 7. Val. max. l. 7. c. 2. Alex. ab Alex. l. 3. c. 20. lips. lib. 6. and the Scripture is frequent and full in this particular. we are in danger of luxury and riot, we quickly surfet and wax wanton with mercies: fourthly, of carelesnesse, you need not advise one that is poore or ready to be staryed, to look out for provision, such will be too care­full; but you had need advise them that are rich and full, least they grow negligent and supine, and carelesse in their duty to God, and laying out what they have for his glory: fiftly, we are in danger of relapses, after recovery out of great dangers and diseases, &c. if there be not great care, we fall into the old trade and way againe, daily experience testifies this truth: sixtly, we are in danger of great judgements, Ezra 9. 13, 14. in all these respects, we have a much more slippery standing [Page 17] then we had before: A Paradise is a much more dangerous place for us to be in then a Wildernesse.

But what must we beware of chiefly: First, that we doe not forget our low estate before God wrought these wonders for us: For this consideration doth much advance Gods won­ders, by how much the lower our state & condition was, when he began to work for us, by so much the greater is the mer­cy, and therefore God will not have us forget our low estate. The Lord doth very often make mention of the deliverance he wrought for Israel, and he makes expresse mention of Ae­gypt, and the house of bondage; he speaks of it, first, in giving of the Law, Exod. 20. 1. secondly, when he instituted the Sa­crifices, Levit. 22. 33. thirdly, when he makes the promise of blessings to them, Levit. 26. 13. fourthly, in reckoning up his great works he had done for them, Deut. 4. 32, 33, 34. and when he speaks of the favours he would bestow, Deut. 6. 10, 11, 12. fiftly, he reckons it as a great signe of his love, Deut. 7. 8. sixtly, when he disswades them from ingratitude, Deut. 8. 14. seventhly, when he instituted the paschall Lamb, Deut. 16. 6. eightly, when the Angel reproved the people, Judges 2. 1. ninthly, when he purposed to give them victory over the Midianites, Judges 6. 8, 9, 10, &c. tenthly, when they were about to set up a King, 1 Sam. 10. 18. how frequent is the Lord in making mention of Aegypt upon every occasion? surely to put them in mind of their low estate, Revel. 2. 5. the Church of Ephesus is bid to remember from whence she was fallen; and surely we must not forget from whence we are risen, Jer. 2. 6, 7. that it may with greater wonder be said, What hath God wrought for us that were so low? for God himselfe takes occasion to amplifie his favours upon this con­sideration, Ezek. 16. 3, 4, 5. so David reckons it among the miracles of mercies, that God remembred them in their low estate, Psal. 136. 23. we must not forget who they were that owned us and the cause we undertook, in our low estate: It was confessed that our Brethren of Scotland did such service for us, that they deserved much at our hands, as much at least as In his Ser­mon intituled New Englands sence of old England and Irelands sor­rowes. Master Hooke in his Sermon gives them, when he stiles [Page 18] them, that honourable Nation that united in a Cove­nant against the Prelats; we may have cause enough to think on them, as Master Cotton doth in his Sermons on the Vials, where he apprehends that God made use of them to poure out his Viall upon the seat of the Beast, and his King­dome [...], he thinks that the word there cleerly point­ed out the Vide 5. Vial Scots: Of whom he sayes; Nor doe I know that any of the former Vyals have been poured out by any men, whose loynes have been more girt about with truth, and whose cloathing hath been more pure and white, then these servants of God have been girt with, and cloathed withall.

II. We must beware we doe not forget the speciall provi­dences of God which goe along with his great mercies, for these doe put a very great price upon the favours you receive: God sends you a Cabinet in such a mercy, you must open it, and you shall find many jewels in it: he doth dismember a mercy that doth not take it in all its dimensions, nor can God have the full praise of a compleat mercy, when we our selves doe not see into all the parts of it; we must therefore look at the mercy, and, First, the season of the mercy, in the Mount; extremity was Gods opportunity; when thy spirit would have failed, if God had not then come, Isa. 57. 16. then to afford mercy, when the full time to have mercy was come, Psal. 102. 11. is a blessed fit time; or perhaps it was at such a season, when we were praying and fasting, or present­ly after; God is pleased to time his mercies which he be­stowes; for it is said, Isa. 49. 8. In an acceptable time have I heard thee; and David sayes, Psal. 69. 13. In an acceptable time have I prayed; it is a blessed season for God to be giving when we are praying, as it is Isa. 65. 24. Whilst they are speaking, I will heare: How oft have our Thanksgiving dayes trod on the heels of our Fasting dayes? how oft have Victories come flying on the wings of prayer so fast, that they have taken us upon our knees?

Secondly, we must not forget the many difficulties and in­tricacies through which our mercies have been conveyed to us; we must look at the crosse, perplexed passages of provi­dence; [Page 19] there hath been many a time in our great affaires, an appearance, as it were a wheels within a wheele, Ezek. 1. 16. so that God manifested his mervailous loving kindnesse, as David speaks, Psal. 57. 7. when he hath given a blessed issue in such cases.

Thirdly, we must not forget this providence, when God makes many meanes conspire for our good, when he com­mands a constellation of means of different complexions to coutribute their influences for our good; when men of a con­trary temper and disposition one from another and averse from me, should yet be overswayed to combine for my good, this is an admirable providence.

Fourthly, we must not forget how suddenly and unexpe­ctedly the Lord hath done things for us: The Lord hath not wearied us out with waiting; that which lookt like a work of two seven yeers, he hath dispatched in the space of two seven moneths; many a victory hath come so suddenly, that it hath even surprized us, that we have been as men in a dreame, as the children of the captivity, Psal. 126. 1, 2.

Fifthly, we must not forget the fruitfulnesse of our mercies; one mercy hath been pregnant and big with child with many: our victories carry in their wombe, our lives, our liberties, our interests and priviledges, our Gospel and Reformation; none of which we should enjoy, if so be the enemy had con­quered: God hath given us many mother mercies.

Sixthly, the small losse of blood and men, this must not be forgotten; we might have purchased many things at a deare rate; if these victories and surrenders had come swimming in blood, or if there had been the demolishing Cities, University and Townes, we might have wept over our victories, as the children of Israel did when they had conquered their Brother Benjamin, Judg. 20. 2.

Perhaps those that have been engaged in these transacti­ons, and whom God hath made instrumentall in his service, are able to speak of many particular experiments of provi­dence, which we that are at a distance, are not able to discern: Let them whom it doth most concerne have a speciall care [Page 20] that God loseth none of his honour in those remarkable pas­sages of his providence towards them that have enjoyed them.

Thirdly, we must not forget how we have provoked God, how we have murmured, how we have distrusted, how some­times we have been lifted up with successe, and then we thought we should never be removed, as David said, Psal. 30. 6, 7. and when the Lord hid his face, how were we troubled? sometimes we have been in a full tide, and then againe at a dead low ebbe. This is it which the Lord presseth on his people, Deut. 9. 7. Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the Wildernesse, from the day that thou depar­tedst out of Aegypt untill ye came unto this place, ye have been a rebel­lious people.

Fourthly, we must beware that we do not forget our Vows, Prayers, Fasts, Covenants, Protestations: The servants of God do drive a great trade with Heaven by these, they have inter­course with God; we should take notice of our revenues & re­turns hereby: now we are too apt to forget our engagements to the Lord; and hence it is that God presseth Covenant on his people when they should come into Canaan, Deut. 4. 23. Take heed (sayes he) least ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God &c. remember, as it is, to offer unto God Thanksgiving, and pay thy Vowes to the most high; keep Covenant, and re­member Vowes and Promises made with God, with your friends, with your enemies: It is a complaint (God grant it be not found to be true) that Articles are not kept on our part with the enemy; I shall onely mind you of that passage, Joshua 9. how the Israelites did keep their Covenant with the Gibeonites, though they were undermined, and it were to their prejudice: The formes of Covenants among the Romans and o­thers were very strict, and their observation of them also; after the invocation of their gods, they did bind themselves under a curse after this manner: Si prior de­fecit (speaking of the Pop. Rom.) publico consilio, dolo malo tu illo die Jupiter Pop. Rom. sic ferito, ut ego hunc porcum hodic feriam: tantoque magis ferito, quanto magis potes, pollesque: Id ubi dixit, porcum saxo silice percussit T. Liv l. 1. de faedere inter Tullum Hostilium & Alba­nos percusso agens. Vid. Barn. Briss. de form. l. 4. The Heathens and Gen­tiles, &c. have been most precise in this particular; now we ought to beware that we doe not forget all [Page 21] these considerations, in re­gard Pausanias in Arcadicis observavit, ubi scribit Philippi Macedonis Regis liberos propterea tantis calamitatibus affectos fuissae, quod ipse fidem in pactis conventis, confae­deratis datam, nihil faceret. Camerarius oper. subsic. l. 2. c. 78. How doth Agamemnon in Homer cry out against the breach of faith in the Trojans. which he sayes, God will avenge; whose sense we have in these Verses: Et superiuros violato foedere TroasJupitere Coelis praesenti haud puniet ira,At quandoque graves magno cum faenore poenasHi cum coniugibus & tota stirpe rependent. The very Heathen have set it as a brand on some peo­ple for breach of faith: Hence [...], Tit. 1. 12. he cites Epimenides for this, who sayes, [...], &c. So dolus Troianus in Plauti Pseudolo & Punicas [...]les, are taken up as Proverbs of reproach; so that this sin had alwayes a note of ignominy among the Heathen. Grat. de iure belli, l. 2. c. 13. they all do add much to the wonder of Gods mercies: For first, may it not be truly said, What hath God wrought, who hath raised us from so low a state to this condition, that he should be pleased to take notice of us, when none durst owne us? Se­condly, may it not be said What hath God wrought, in al these admirable providen­ces afforded to us? Third­ly, may it not be truly said, What hath God wrought, who preserved us when we pro­voked him? Fourthly, may it not be truly said, What hath God wrought, who had respect to the prayers, fasts, &c. of his un­worthy servants? wherefore if we should forget these, we should much dishonour God, and take off from the wonder of his mercies.

Fifthly, we must beware that we doe not forget the low condition of others: It is a sinne which those that enjoy tem­porall accommodations, are incident unto, even to forget others that are in want and misery: You know how Ireland cryes aloud for help, and can find none; shall we think to sit downe in peace, when Ireland is in blood, and even bleeding to death? We read Numb. 31. how the Israelites did give a ve­ry great overthrow to the Midianites, and what spoyle they took, and chap. 32. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. we read how the children of Ruben and Gad, having a great multitude of Cattle, therefore they desired of Moses that they might stay in that Country which the Lord had smote before the Congregation of Israel, it being a very commodious place: but ver. 6. Moses said to them that made this request, shall your Brethren goe to warre, and shall yee sit here, &c. he chides them, ver. 7, 8, &c. and tels them [Page 22] ver. 14. that they were risen up in their Fathers stead, an encrease of sinfull men, &c. So say I, if we shall now sit down and take up our rest, and think our work is done, when Ireland hath no rest, and is in a manner undone, this may provoke the Lord against us: I hope you will remember them in their low estate as God hath remembred you in yours.

The second Use shall be of Exhortation, that since God hath wrought such deliverances as these, and hath given such wonderfull mercies to you, that you would labour to walke in a way correspondent to these mercies, that you would be wrapt up with wonder in the contemplation of them; we may make use of the signification of the word Mi­rari, and stirre you up to your duty, and goe no further then the Word affords: First, it signifies intente intueri, for it comes from the Hebrew, [...], est visus, so that we first won­der: Martin. Lexic. vocab. Miror. First, Take a view and survey our mercies, look into them; this I have spoke of before: secondly, we should mirari, (i.) cum voluptate intueri, we should as David, Psal. 13. 5, 6. re­joyce in the Lord, and sing unto him, because he hath dealt bountifully; we see the Church often upon the receipt of mercies, rejoycing, Isa. 61. 10. and elswhere: thirdly, we should wonder (i.) Intueri cum stupore, break out into holy asto­nishment; the Church upon the contemplation of the mer­cies of God, stands as one amazed, Isa. 25. 9. In that day it shall be said, Loe, this is our God! an ecce, a note of wonder put upon it; then it followes, We will rejoyce in his salvation: fourth­ly, we should wonder and say, What hath God wrought! (i.) magnifacere & venerari, we should exalt and magnifie the Lord for his mercies; thus David teacheth us this lesson in his owne practice, Psal. 34. 2, 3. he cals upon others to magnifie the Lord with him for his mercies: this magnifying of the Lord should be done with holy and humble veneration: We find Revel. 4. 10, 11. when the four and twenty Elders give praise to God, they fall downe before him, and cast their Crownes before the Throne, &c. so also chap. 5. 8. & 7. 11. & 11. 16, 17. they fall downe and give thanks to the Lord God, be­cause he had taken to him his great power, and had reigned; [Page 23] and chap. 19. upon the great judgement on the Whore, ver. 4. the four and twenty Elders and the four Beasts fell down and worshipped God that sate on the Thronc, saying, Amen Allelujah.

I shall now propound some considerations to you, taken from some of the wonderfull things which God hath done for us, that by them I may raise up your hearts to the highest straines of admiration and gratitude, and quicken you up to answerable walking, according to the great mercies of God bestowed on us.

First, it hath been said, What hath God wrought, who hath brought this warre (in a manner) to an end, which every one almost did think would have ended our liberties, lives? &c. now by way of gratitude, let us all labour to put an end to the warre, one among, and one against another: I could heartily wish that the Sea of Ordinances were Chrystall, very pure, and not glasse, and freed from fire, that contentions were banished from us, Revel. 15. 2. me thinks we should not quarrell; that one word in which we all agree, viz. Saints, Brethrne, Members; nay that reconciling word, Christ, for we are one Christ, 1 Cor. 12, 12. I say, any of these words should compose all differences among us; how often have some noble Commanders, by a word sometimes, such as that, commilitones, Quirites, setled the distempers of a mutinous Ar­my; why should not that word Christians, like that word Peace, be still, spoken by Christ to the winds and waves when they were most boystrous, bring a great calme among us, as that did once? Mark 4. 39. The issue of our divisions and ani­mosities is generally the same in effect as I have read in a story concerning two Doctors of Physick, the one a Galenist, and the other a Paracelsian, who met at a feast, and fell into a di­spute: the Galenist discoursed of the retentive faculty in the stomack, how the meat is there depressed for a time, and made fit for digestion, and thence a milkie juyce is sucked by the Mesaraicae venae, which forthwith is conveyed to the work­house of blood, thence to the heart the store house of spirits, and so these two, like two carefull Purveyors, send their pro­visions [Page 24] by the veynes and arteries, as by two common road wayes, into every part of the little Common-wealth of mans body: The Paracelsian, a professor and practiser quite contra­ry to the other, as well in his order of dyet as cure, opposeth himself against all these assertions, partly out of opinion that he was in the right, and partly out of a contentious humour and spleen which he bore to the others profession; they fall from argument to railing, and at last to deadly war and bitter defiance, whereby the meale they then made was hindred in digestion, choler encreased in the one, and malancholy in the other, and the blood enflamed in both, so as they were both taken away (without saying grace) desperately sick; the Galenist of a shaking ague, and the Paracelsian of a dead pal­sie: there needs no application, it is well knowne that the Galenist and Paracelsian men of contrary judgements, doe sometime fall to disputation, from this to railing, from this to distemper and sicknesse of spirit, by which meanes God loseth the glory due to him, and many times both lose both themselves and the truth to boot: It is a sad thing to me to think that they which look on one another as Saints, should behave themselves each to other as the Jewes had wont to doe toward Hea­thens Hence we read of those words in the new Test. [...] alieni­genis; so it is often objected by Josephus against the Jewes, [...] whence that of Juvenal concerning the Jewes, Non monstrare vias, eadem nisi sacra colenti, and that of Tacitus, Hist. 5. apud ipsos fides obstinata, misericor­dia in promptu adversus omnes hostile odium: What a miserable thing is it, that this Jewish carriage and di­stance, these excommunicating termes should be made good among those that are received into the bosome of the same Christ? Althusius in his Politiques, c. 31. sayes, Exitus discordiarum est, aut universorum interi­tus, aut victoris dominatus & regnum, vid. Bodin. l. 4. c. 1. there was a sad issue of those names of difference the Guelphs and the Gibbelines, the Calvinists and Lutherans, the Samaritans and the Jewes; let us learne from them to lay aside charactericing names, which [...]se at length into factions and tumults..

Secondly, it may be said What hath God wrought for you in restoring your cap­tivated liberties, your en­salved priviledges, your lawes made arbitrary once by usurpation and tyran­ny, and of late by necessi­ty in time of warre: In a common fire and confla­gration, many houses must be pluckt downe to save the rest H. Grotius, l. 3. de jure belli, c. 1.; and many things [Page 25] are lawfull in a time of warre, which otherwise could not be permitted: Since therefore God hath done this for you, let it by way of gratitude be said, what hath this Parliament done, in labouring to settle the peace of the Church: He hath done your work very quickly; set close to his and doe it quickly: or else you may have Christ come quickly as he threatned, Revel. 2. 5. and remove your Candlestick from yo; and as it is ver. 16. Repent, or else I will come quickly and fight against thee, &c. and Revel. 3. 11. Behold I come quickly, &c. the adversary makes haste to pluck up, and to pull down and to unsettle the Church of God, and build up his own Babel of fancy and opi­nion and falshood: whilst the Ordinances of God are unsetled in their purity, power, glory and perfection, in their full com­passe and latitude, the enemy gets ground. Bishop Jewell Jewel in ep: de conc. Tri­dent. tract. [...] de Papa & Cardinal. &c. speaking of the subtilty of the Pope and Cardinals, to fru­strate the Councell of Trent, or to retard it, makes use of a Story which may be applied to our case: It is reported of the Athenians, that when they began to build their wals which were cast downe, the Lacedaemonians (that so they might have them in their power) sent to them to surcease: But Themistocles being very wise, perceiving that the safety of the Country was in jeopardy, promised that he would come to them, yet he did purposely create delayes and excuses, pre­tending that their agreements did not like him, and then say­ing that he would send Ambassadours to treat with them: In the meane time while he baffles them with delayes and pre­tences, the building of the wals goes on, and in the time they are disputing the matter, the businesse is dispatched, and the wals are built, and now pluck them downe that dare or can. It is certainly the designe of some to keep you off by delayes and plausibilities and faire pretences, from setting in its full power the government of Christ, but in the meane time the wals of Athens goes on; and ere long, if you doe not make the more haste, they will be finished, and then you may pluck them downe if you could tell how: And as God hath deli­vered you from arbitrary government, so doe you leave as little to arbitrement in the State as can be: A good Law is bet­ter then the best Lawyer Melius est legibus, ac con­suetudinibus bonis sidere, quam octimis hominibus Cardan. l. 5. de Sapient..

Thirdly, it may be said What hath God wrought? who hath subdued your enemies in the Field, many, mighty, malicious; who as they called you Rebels formerly, and think you so still, so they would have used you as Rebels; by way of gra­titude labour to subdue Gods enemies in your houses and hearts, those reigning sinnes that captivate you, and ride in triumph over you. Is not that true which we read, Isa. 60. 14. The sonnes also of them that afflicted thee, shall come bending unto thee, and all they that despised thee, shall bow themselves downe at the soales of thy feet, &c. how should you stirre up your selves to mortifie your lusts? It was the glory of the King of Arragon that he conquered himselfe when he conquered his enemies: And it was the blot on Alexanders conquests, that himselfe was conquered with wine: and on Hannibal, that cruelty was his Master. We find in Stories ma­ny scoffes of Souldiers cast on their triumphing Commanders in this kind. Gallias Caesar subegr, Nico­modes Caesarem Ecce Caesar nunc triūphat, qui subegit Gallias. Nicomodes non triumphat, qui subegit Caesa­rem, Sueton in Jul. c. 49. and also c. 40. concerning the same, they that wai­red on Caesar in his triumph by way of mockery. U bani servate uxores, Mae­chum calvum adducimus. Auro in Gallia stuprum emisti, hic sumpsisti mutuum. So true is that distich. Fortior est qui se quam qui for tissima vincit Maenia, nec virtus altius ire potest. Let us downe with the strong holds of the De­vill. Ale-houses generally are the Devils Castles, the meet­ing places of Malignants and Sectaries, they are the campus Martius of Satan, he hath his traine of Artillery, his chiefe Ammunition, his head quarters are there, especially if any pe­stilent Priests steeped in the gall of Antichristianisme be among them: It is most requisite that such meetings, such places be dissolved. I could wish that garrison of rancorous and imbittered spirit were utterly slighted and demolished in us all; this one thing hath overthrowne whole Kingdomes many times vid. Jun orat. Tom. 1 orat. 1 de colleg. con­cordia & orat. 2.; God forbid it should act its part among us, I trust God will never give us over to that unquiet, destructive spirit.

Fourthly, God hath in a strange manner purged out from among you many rotten members, which you could never have cast out, if they had not excommunicated themselves, by a voluntary separation and banishment from you, and despe­rate engagement against you; so that in this respect it may most truly be said, What hath God wrought?

By way of gratitude, you must fall to purging and reform­ing; God hath shewed you the way, who hath distinguished [Page 27] betwixt the precious and the vile, which you must also doe; for the iron and clay will never incorporate, Dan. 9. 42. take heed you doe not give the Lord occasion to say, as it is Ezek. 24. 6,-13. Her scumme is not yet gone out. In thy filthinesse is lewd­nesse; because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. The scum of swearers, drunkards, &c. abounds among us. But besides these, there is a more dangerous sort of people of choyce parts, possessed with the spirit of Antichrist, of as crosse a grain to reformation as any men whatsoever, be­ing soaked in malignity; if these have the liberty of the Pul­pit, they have liberty and opportunity to diffuse their poy­son; these ought to be purged out of Pulpits especially. It is reported of Cato Censor, when Carneades the Philosopher came to Rome in an Embassie, that the young men of Rome flockt to him, being allured with the sweetnesse and majesty of his eloquence and learning, gave counsell in open Senate, that they should give him dispatch with all speed, least he should infect and inchant the minds and affections of the Youth, and bring in an alteration of the manners and cu­stomes of the state. Cato's advice will suit well with this which is propounded concerning such men before spoken of: You have an University and a Kingdome to purge, which lyes like the Augean Stable, and it is a very vast businesse to doe it; but as it is reported of Hercules, being to cleanse the Au­gean Stable (in which was kept three thousand Kine, and it had not been cleansed for thirty yeers together) but Hercules letting in the River Alpheus, did that with ease which was thought impossible: So you by letting in the waters of the Sanctuary spoke of, Ezek. 47. 2. The River which refresheth the house of God shall purge it; so shall it be said, What have you wrought?

Fifthly, the Lord hath protected you in a most strange and admirable manner, so that it may be said, What hath God wrought? by way of gratitude be you a sword and a shield; to the truth a shield, and to errour and heresie a sword: It was said of Fabius, that he was Romanorum clypeus, and of Marcellus [Page 28] that he was Romanorum ensis, because it was the chiefe care of the first, to safeguard his Souldiers from the danger of Annibal, and of the other to destroy him: Certainly it may be said of you as it was Deut. 33. 29. Happy art thou O Israel; who is like unto thee O people! saved by the Lord the shield of thy help, and who is thesword of thy excellency: and thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Sixthly, the Lord hath appeared eminently in executing judgement on your enemies; we may say, as it is Psal. 9. 16. The Lord is knowne by the judgement which he executeth, the wicked is snared in the work of his owne hand: Higgajon Selah. by way of gratitude doe justice, execute right judgement. There be ma­ny sad complaints of partiality and affection in Committees, of retarding of causes, of pleading for delinquents, of oppres­sing of right, it is vox populi, which is sometime called vox Dei: It was your honour to put downe those bloody Courts of the Star-chamber and High-commission, and the arbitrary pro­ceeding of the Councell-table, and I hope it shall be your care that there be not a [...], a translation of the spi­rit of those Courts into the Parliament; they did turne judg­ment into wormwood, and leave off righteousnesse, as it is Amos 5. 7. but I hope that judgement shall now run downe as waters, and judgement as a mighty streame, ver. 24. God re­fuseth to have any thing to doe with his people, till they came to doe justice, Isa. 1. 16, 17. then sayes he, Come let us reason to­gether, the Lord presseth it on them, Ezek. 45. 9, 10.

Seventhly, the Lord hath done great things for us in the surrender of OXFORD; if all things be well considered it is a great mercy: The strength of the place, the provisions of all kinds within; the resolution of the men to hold out a sul­len siege, the danger of demolishing an University, famous as any in the world, the danger of breaking our Army; the ad­vantages which hereby we have of being assistant to Ireland, together with the advantages that you may have of promo­ting the reformation, in that place above others; all these put together make it a great mercy.

Now by way of gratitude, make it your businesse and care [Page 29] now to purge and reforme that place above others: Give me leave to propound some things to your consideration con­cerning that place, with submission still to your wisdome herein: I doe it the rather because I know there ought to be had a more then ordinary care of such places as that is; for a Fountaine, a Garden and a Nursery must in a speciall manner be lookt unto; for it is a rule that quod initio est vitio­sum, tractu temporis non convalescet; and it is a rule concerning Physick, that an errour in the first concoction is not cor­rected in the second; besides, there ought to be a speciall care of what is put into new and fresh Vessels, and what mold is to be laid on tender plants and young trees: these things laid together, make me the bolder to propound some things to your wisdome, with reference to that place.

First, if there be any such to be found there, which by rea­son of necessity have been constrained to live in that place; yet they have that mark on their fore-heads, which is to cry What Taci­tus speaks of a Prince I doubt not but you will observe, Non poena semper sed sa­pius poenitentia contentus esse. Agric. Poenam igitur si tuto poterus, dona­bis; sin minus, temperabis, Sen. dc Clem. 1. for alll the abominations of it, as it is Ezek. 9. 4. or if there be any that shall be found, which now remember their doings and wayes, wherein they have defiled themselves, Ezek. 20. 43. if there be any such who (whatsoever they have been here­tofore) episcopall, &c. yet if now they shall doe that hearti­ly which the adversaries of the captivity did but pretend to doe Ezra 4. 1, 2. help you to build, and seek God as you doe, if perhaps in all things they shall not come up to close with every particular with you, yet they will be quiet, will not oppose or hinder you: I hope you will doe by these as Here­kiah did by them that were not cleansed, and did eat the Passe­over otherwise then was written, 2 Chron. 30. 18. he prayed for them, the Lord pardon thē that prepare their heart to seek the Lord, &c. ver. 19. and ver. 22. he spake comfortably to the Levites, &c. Not that I would have a toleration of practice for any error, but a tender usage and respect to such, of whom we cannot say, they will not, but for want rather of a cleerer discovery, have not, doe not see what for the future perhaps they may assent unto: It shall be your glory to recover and gaine such as these with love and the spirit of meekness, rather then to cast them out —Peragit tranquilla po­testas quod vi­olenta nequit, mandataque fortius urget Imperiosa qui­es,—Claud. Paneg. Adhibenda est moderatio, quae sanabilia inge­ma distingucre a deploratis scia, Sen de Clem. 1..

Secondly, if upon due search made and cognizance had, you find that the Fountaine is become bitter, like the water of Marah, Exod. 15. 23. if there be mors in olla, as there was in that pot which was set on for the sonnes of the Prophets, 2 Kings 4. 38, 40. if it be found that the salt of the earth be unsavoury, Matth. 5. 13. if the light be extinguished; if it be so that the Garden be overgrowne with Nettles and Bram­bles, and Weeds Infoelix lolium, & steriles dominantur avenae,Pro molli viola, ac purpureo narcissoCarduus, & spinis surgit palinurus acutis.Virgil., and Thornes.

If Whither that of Fr. Petrach concerning Rome, may not in some sort be true here let others judge. Errorum ludus, sectarum nobile templumRoma quidem fueras, nunc es Babylonia fallax,Ex qua tot luctus, gemitusque feruntur in orbem,O fraudum mater, carcer teterrimus irae,Carnificina boni, sed iniqui sedula nutrix. it be found that she which should have been a mother, hath proved a step-dame; if that which should have been a nursery of holinesse and Religion, be found a sinke of pro­phanesse; if that place which should have been a mint of the precious coyne, that should passe currant every where without controll or contradiction, be found to be a forge of counterfeit coyne and falshoods, against God and the Parlia­ment; if that which should have been a Goshen be found an Aegypt rather; if that which should have been as Zion be a So­dome, and that which should have been as Jerusalem be a Baby­lon, then I know every one will say, you had need bestir your selves here above all other places whatsoever.

But what is here to be done? I dare appeale to prudentiall [Page 31] men among our adversaries: Put the case the Parliament had possessed Oxford, and the Divines which adhered to that had sheltred themselves there, and were in all those places of maintainance and trust which they have which are opposite to the Parliament and their cause: had the King prevailed and taken the place, as now you have done, I appeale to any impartiall men, what would they have done? you may if you please make that good, the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light; I doe beleeve it should never have come into debate, whither you or any that have eminently engaged for and with you, should have compounded for estates; it may be you would have thought it happinesse and favour enough to have redeemed your lives. These things being premised, and there be truth in these sup­positions, then I think you need not have any one to tell you what to doe; never any did begin a plantation among weeds and brambles.

But it will be said, these be men of excellent parts and accu­rate learning; what shall we doe with them? I answer, as one sayes of the Jesuits, quo meliores eò deteriores, concerning whom I say further, as Agesilaus did of his adversary Farnaba­sus, talis cum sis, utinam noster esses: I could wish for my owne part that all wayes were used to gaine them, if it might be; and I could wish heartily that the University had been con­quered as well as the Garrison, and Christ had captivated learning, as our Army did the Militia, and that the Militia togata as well as armata, (I could wish they had been distingui­shed) had yeelded up it selfe to God and you: Put the case they have been never so bad, and have appeared never so much against you, yet if they shall doe as Benbadads servants did to the King of Israel, who said, Behold we have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull Kings, and they put —Ignos­cere pulchrut iam misero, pae­naeque genus vidisse precan tem, Claud. sack-cloath on their loynes and ropes on their heads, and so they came to him, 1 Kings 20. 30, 31, 32. if those that have published you Re­bels in the Presse, and preached you Rebels in the Pulpit, and discoursed you Rebels in their conference, and fought against you as Rebels, in the Field, yet if they shall doe as Benba­dads [Page 32] servants did, I suppose you would let them know, you are such absolute conquerours of your selves, that you can and will pardon such; and likewise bestow (where no reward is due, but the most extreame punishment) favours and bene­volence. I doe beleeve that many of them will never put you to it, to turne them out, if you would hire them to keep their preferments with great rewards, upon your termes, they would not doe it; nay, rather then use the Directory, take the Covenant, submit to the Discipline, stoop to Parliamen­tary power, promote your designes, engage in your way of reformation, all which are contrary to their principles (un­lesse your conquests have had the like effect which Peters Ser­mon had, or that God hath wrought upon them) they will suffer very much, rather then goe against their consciences, in submitting to that which they cannot subscribe to.

In the third place, I hope you will have an extraordinary care in the placing of fit men in the University: There be three sorts of men you are to look after: First, professors of languages and sciences: Secondly, Governours of houses: Thirdly, Fellowes and Schollers. As for the first, if England cannot furnish you, I hope Europe will; for if there be one better then another, let him be the man, whatever it cost: these are fathers in the faculty, and progagate the sciences; they have the wardship of learning committed to them: these Fathers of the Arts if they have not drawne in the masculine vigour and life of the Muses, they beget but a weak and dis­eased issue: It is here as with naturall Parents, strong and able Parents have like Progeny Quanta per­vicacia in ho­stem, tanta be­neficentia ad­versus suppli­ces utendum Tac. Ann. 12.; besides, he that undertakes g Fortes crean­tur fortibus, & bonis; est in juvencis; est in equis patrum virtus, nec im­bellom feroces Progenerant a­quila colum­baus, Hor. l. 4. od. 4. such places upon a small and weak foundation, it is as if he should traverse the Ocean in a Cock-boat, such run a hazard from the Haven, and are like to prove famous onely by their errours and delinquencies.

The second sort that we are to speak of, is Governours of houses, of whom there ought to be had by so much the greater care, by how much the greater influence they are like to have, and impression on others, what the Apostle speaks of such as are to be [...] in Scripture, [Page 33] should be found in such as are to be heads of Houses; men exemplary in holinesse and grace, whose life (as one speaks of the life of a Prince) should be Pan. Troj. censura publica, as a publick stādard, lest haply if they come to be engaged in an er­ror or sinfull course, Sen. cont. 1. imitatio alienae oulpae be counted innocentia: the deformities & infirmities of such as we love & honour, so often are doted on, and made patternes of our imitation: Men —Ama­torem quod a­micae tur pia deciplunt cae­cum vitia, aut etiam ipsa de­lectant vetuti Balbinum Po­ly pus agnae. Hor. Serm. l. 1. Sat. 3. of singular self-deniall, and of a strict conversation, are the fittest for such places: that which Cicero notes as an errour in Cato the second, when he writes to his friend Atticus, I take as a vertue required in a Governour; Cato optime sentit (sayes he) sed nocet interdum Reip. loquitur enim tanquam in Rep. Platonis, non tanquā in faece Romuli. There is in some an eminent suitablenesse of spirit, a notable frame of heart fitting a man for government; this is of great concernment; and although perhaps there may be wanting some perfections and accomplishments which others have, yet there may be enough in these, thus qualified as I have spoken, to doe the work. It was said by Themistocles being asked to touch a Lute, that he could not fiddle, but he could make a small Towne, a great State: what he spake ar­rogantly of himselfe, may be truly said of these, that though they cannot fiddle, yet (through the blessing of God) they, of a place infamous for the present, may make a glorious Uni­versity. There is an Academicall genius which animates some men, and such will live best in that element which is most na­turall: Perhaps some may be thought on that are of excel­lent parts, and fit for honourable employments, who may be thought to put downe others; yet as it was noted of Philip King of Macedon, that he would needs undertake to correct a curious Musician in his art; but he was answered by him, God forbid that your fortune should be so bad, as to know these things better then I: This may be said in this case; some men have served severall apprentiships in the University, and of ne­cessity have been engaged in the studies of the Arts, and such kind of learning; and have been engaged in a way of employ­ment which may be counted below the education of such whose fortunes have afforded a subsistence otherwayes, and so [Page 34] by this means are brought into a capacity and fitnesse for that place which is not proper for another. Let them be men of gravity and autho­rity, In that question an Juvenes in numerum conciliario­rum principis cooptandi sint? the same that is said against them will hold good here. Vid. Tiraq de jure primig. praef. n. 9 1. Bodin de Rep. l. 3. c. 1. Non possunt (inquit) u­venes in concione Pop. quae utiba sunt ac iusta, persuadere: nec senibus, [...]ec iuvenibus probantur, al eri enim idae a­tis se illis aequales, alteri sapientia superiores arbitrantur. Pet. Gregor. l. 24. de Rep. c. expedit omnino iuxta an­nosas arbores plantas novas in serere, &c. whose experience and yeers, together with their wise and sober carri­age puts a majesty on go­vernment, and strikes an awe and respect in others to reverence and honour the place for the Persons sake. Let them be such who shall be able and meet, and will resolve to beare the burden and heat of the day, and who shall in their owne persons, not by proxies or deputation, discharge the duty of the place they shall be called unto.

The third sort, which are Scholers and fellows of houses, to be chosen to places, I may spare my paines concerning them; yet I hope you will take speciall care that such places as here­tofore were, may not be vendible things; but that parts and and learning may be the onely friends to plead for such pla­ces. What was said of Vendit A­lexander cla­ves, altaria, Christū; Eme­rat ille prius, vendere iure potest. Vid. Ideam reformand. Antichrist. Vid. Busbaq. Ep. 1. Alexander the sixt, may be too truly said of some in places of government: Welfare the Turks, whose custome it is to preferre none but such whose parts and endowments have advanced them above others. I might here take occasion to represent the many defects and indeed disor­ders that are in Grammer-Schooles: First, in regard all are taken into Schooles without any respect to the capacity, or to future employments, whence many inconveniences doe arise: Secondly, many that are set to be Masters and Teach­ers of others, doe not onely want skill in the Languages, but also that genius and dexterity whereby they should have a sutablenesse to the forming of that ulum & molle lutum which is in children; there is great cunning in fitting the seed to the soyle: Thirdly, the anticipation and preoccupating of time; many will venture to goe before they can stand, and to the University they must goe, whereas it were fitter for them to be under the ferula. What an absurd thing is it to come to [Page 35] the University to construe Logick with the help of a Dictio­nary: we feele the miserable effect of these things, and I might set downe much more, but that I hope you will have all the grievances in this kind presented to you from the hands of them that have better skill.

Your third care must be concerning the present and future peace of the Church, which depends much upon the corres­pondence of judgement and opinion among them which shall be placed in the University; for if that prove a Seminary of division, and a seed plot of schisme and contention, it will not end where it began, but as water from a Fountaine dif­fuseth, and sparkles from a common fire scatter, so will it be here: Of what sad consequence had it like to have proved, the division betwixt Doctor Whitaker regius professor in Cambridge, and Petrus Baro Margaret professor; they going con­trary one to the other in some great poynts of di­vinity: 1 De amissione gratiae. 2 De certitudine salutis. Baro affirming, and Whitaker denying? by meanes of which, one sayes there was great di­straction among the scho­lers in the University Professorum disputatio (ut solet) inventutem diu [...] partes traxit, &c. Manuscript lat. hac de re.: what miserable confusion and distraction did the contention breed in Chri­stendome, which arose from Arminius professor at Leyden, who was opposed by Franciscut Gomarus, in that grand controversie cōcerning the absolute Decree Arminius tenuit, Deum non absolute quosdam homines, ex solo beneplacito suo, sed post lapsum, iterum per fidem in Christum credentes ad aeternam beatitudinem ordinasse; si­militer de Reprobatione, nem nem absolute, sed ob infideli­tatem Reprob sic deo prateritos & aternis poenis destin a­tos: Gomarus pro sententia contraria disputationem in­stituit: Vid. [...] dissect. Belgii per Solom. Theo­dotum.? Of what ill con­sequence was that difference between Epiphanius Bishop of Cy­prus, and Johan. Chrysastomus, concerning the Books of Origen; the former condemning of them, and the latter appoving them? those that loved neither of them, made use of these coales between them, to set on fire the Church of God: These two famous and renowned Fathers fell into bitter language one against another, and meeting one another, Epiphanius said [Page 36] Chrysostome, spero be minime moriturum episcopum, Johannes: And Johannes Chrysost. to him againe, spero te minime ad ecclesiam tuam rediturum: Both these passionate speeches proved true in the event Eccles. vetus. Nov. edit. cura Abrah. Sculteti. O­rat. 4.. How all sorts of people suffer many times in the dif­ferences of learned men, we are able to speak, and Ecclesiasti­call story fully represents Videl. l. 3. c. 2. de prudentia vet. eccles.. I could also relate divers particu­lars in the University of Oxford to this purpose, when those fancies and opinions of the Arminians, Socinians, Pelagians, Semipelagians, Papists, &c. began to gather strength among us: it may be in lesser differences (as Ut in fidibus ac tibiis atque cantu ipso ac vocibus con­centus est quidam tenendus, &c. l. 2. de civit. Dei. Austin speaks of dissonācy in the strings of an instru­ment, there may be har­mony: and as Junius ob­serves, there may be some good come from Jun. orat. 7. de colleg. concord. ut hostis muris sem­per imminens facit ut circumspecta & solicita civitas sit, sic sententiarum diversitate fit, ut nihil agatur dicaturque temere, &c. Camerar. l. 3. c. 6. Hor. Subseciv. them; yet in these greater points of controversie, common­ly there be the saddest effects: and therefore I hope it shall be your care to place such there who shall be of one mind, and walke by the same rule as the Apostle speakes, Phil. 3. 16.

4ly. let it be your speciall care that all due encouragements to learning be continued, and what are wanting may be sup­plyed: It hath been a reproach (and it is well it is a reproach) cast on the Parliament, that you are no friends to the Muses: What Saul said 1 Sam. 22. 7. Will the Son of Jesse give every one of you Fields and Vineyard, &c. hath in like manner been said of you: will the Parliament make you Bishops and Deanes, &c. It is confessed they will not; but they shall doe better if they take their revenues, and dispose of them so as to supply the defects and wants of many, which heretofore did maintaine the lust and pride of one or few: The Lord himselfe hath had a great care of preserving Learning and the Arts, in re­gard he hath couched all kind of learning in the bowels of [Page 37] Scripture: He hath also still in his providence, raised up some or other to maintaine and support it, when it hath been most violently assaulted. Besides, we find that there is a neere affi­nity betwixt learning and Religion; hence it is that still the Libraries and Churches joyned neer together; the very Hea­thens did observe so much: As in Rome, the Library in the Ca­pitoll, and Augustus Library neer the Temple of Apollo: So Trajan and Domitian did the like, and so have Christian Supe­riours; the reason is given, quad Religionem fine libris non conser­vari putarunt De legibus Constant. Baldwin. Socrat. l. 7. c. 25. Euseb. in vita Constantin. l. 1. c. 35.: Constantine, Theodosins, &c. have been eminent examples in this kind, for advancing and favouring both learning and Religion.

Fifthly, I hope you will endeavour to settle a faithfull, able godly Ministry in that place, and there is as much cause as in any place (I doe beleeve) in England; for that place which hath or should have bin a Goshen for light, hath had Aegyptian dark­nesse in it, ignorance of Christ in the midst of the Schooles of the Prophets; the very salt-pit hath proved unsavoury in a great measure; the eye hath been bloodshot or dark, or affe­cted with ill humours; the breasts have had little or no milk; there htth been a Wildernesse in that Garden, and drought in the midst of plenty; there is scarcely more rudenesse, igno­rance & barbarisme in the Kingdome then in that very place: I need not spend much time in this, for you have begun that work already, and I doe not doubt but it will be your care to promote and continue it; so by this meanes I hope it shall be said as it is Isa. 54. 1, 2, &c. Sing O barren thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud thou that didst not travell with child, for more are the children of the desolate then the children of the married wife; enlarge the place of thy Tent, &c. By your care (I hope) the Wildernesse and the solitary places shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoyce and blossome as the Rose; it shall blossome abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and sing­ing; and the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto It, the ex­cellency of Carmel and Sharon. &c. Isa. 3. 1, 2. I hope as it fol­lowes, ver. 5, 6, 7, &c. that it shall be fulfilled, The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the eares of the deaf shall be unstopped, and [Page 38] the lame man shall leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing, for in the Wildernesse shall waters break out, and streames in the desert, &c. I hope the Lord will say to that place as it is Isa. 54. 11, 12, &c. Behold, I will lay thy foundations with Saphires, and I will make thy windowes of Agates, and thy gates of Carbuncles, and all thy borders pleasant stones, and all thy children shall be taught of God, &c. I hope that the prophesie, Ezek. 47. 1, 2, 3, &c. shall have its accomplishment in a great measure there, and that the wa­ters shall flow from thence, shall rise up to the neck, and that every thing which liveth and moveth in those waters shall live, verse 9. and that all trees shall be planted by those wa­ters, which shall bring forth their fruit in season, verse 12. If it be your care (as I hope it will) thus to lay out your in­terests and paines in this place, as I have presented to you, it shall be your crowne and comfort, and posterity I hope shall have cause to say, as it is Isa. 25. 1. O Lord thou art my God, I will exalt thee, I will prayse thy name, for thou hast done won­derfull things.