Papistomastix, OR DEBORAHS' Prayer against God's Enemies, Judg. 5.31. Explicated and Applied, In the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Exon, November the fift, 1641.  
By WILLIAM SCLATER, Batchelar in Divinity, Prebend of that Church.  Psal. 68.1. 
Let God arise, and let his Enemies be scattered: Let them also that hate him, fly before him, etc.  
LONDON, Printed by Ric. Hodgkinson for Daniel Frere, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the red-Bull in little-Britaine, 1642.   

TO The truly Noble, and eminent Example of the best worth, Mr. HENRY MURRAY Esquire, one of the Grooms of his M ties. Bedchamber, The Happiness of both Worlds.  
Noble Sir,  
AFTER much agitation of thoughts, where (in these dismembered times) this poor piece of my worthless endeavours might best find shelter; at length it was directed, as Noah's Dove unto the Ark, to seek your Patronage; as in whose breast so many lines of piety, drawn from a large circumference meet as in the proper Centre; as who have, by a sacred kind of Chemistry, extracted the best spirits, and quintessence of the choicest virtues; which virtues, like some rich Carbuncles that shine best in varied lights, are by so much more glorious and full of lustre, by how much the predominant and most enchanting vices of this vile age can no way damp or sully them: nor doth it, indeed, a little glad me, to see that early sanctity, which died you (to my known experience) in grain, in the woull of your youth, now you have been woven in the looms of Time into more years, still to keep its colour: Besides this, it is your excellence (nor can it be consisted) that though some other Courtiers have sometime been known, like some fair coloured silks, by too much airing to have lost their gloss; yet your retiring Holiness (which is the Diamond set in the Ring of your merited commendations) hath preserved you still, as 
a Sic tibi cum fluctus subterlabere sicanos, Doris amara suam non intermisceat undam: Vargil. Eclog. 10.  Alpheus gliding silently under the brackish Doris, untainted and unst yned by the worst of times: and (which I cannot but add) your rare: kill in Arts, and various literature, is that which doth enamel and embellish all the rest: so that whilst the tottering of the times hath rocked many asleep in secure vanity, the very mention of your name, like a box of spikenard broken, hath filled us with a sweet perfume, and the savour thereof drawn me, thus fare, to shroud this naked issue of my thoughts under the wings of your favour; some few cast feathers whereof may so imp and fledge it, that it shall adventure with more alacrit, to fly abroad.  
Deign then, Honoured Sir, (being a known Patron of goodness) to bestow a look upon this importunate suitor, and to spread your protection over it, and him; who, as 
b Ruffinus, in Symbol. Apost. inter opera Cypriant, initio.  Ruffinus apologized for the edition of his Comment on the Apostles Creed, cannot (chief in so great insufficiency) but know, Non esse absque periculo, multorum judiciis ingenium tenue & exile committere; how full of jeopardy it is, in so slender a schallop, to adventure on the deeps of so many greater judgements; or, as S. 
c S Hierom. in proaem. ad Obad.  Hierome said unto Pammachius, of some things written in the beat of his youth; Infans sum nec dum scribere nosco; nunc ut nihil aliud profecerim, saltem Socra. icum illud habeo, Scio, quod nescio. But sigh I was willing to let you ●ee, on this occasion, how much I value your Patronage, Let it be your Nobleness to stoop to the entertainment of this bearty Testimonial of my respects; and wi●hall, to cast some few strictures of favour upon him, the thirst of whose ambition could not be quenched, till be had declared himself to be,  
Your true honourer, devoted to do you service, WILLIAM SCLATER. Febr: 7. 1641.   

DEBORAH'S Prayer against GOD'S Enemies, explained and applied.  JUDG. 5.31. 
So let all thine Enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him, be as the sun, when be goeth forth in his might, And the land had rest forty years.  
THE Text is the close of good Deborah and Barak, 
The occasion of the words.  their Epinition or Triumphal Song; sung by them, in Prayer, unto the Lord, who had, now, victoriously made bare his own arm: in granting, by their (though but impotent) hands, a mighty deliverance, from the potent forces of Johin, King of Canaan; in the shameful discomfiting of Sisera, his chief Captain; and by the watery bosom of the river Kishon, (that ancient river, the river Kishon) sweeping his numerous Army, as so many grassehoppers, from the Earth: It was I say, the close of their song, upon that occasion; and may now seasonably be resumed into our mouths ●his day; which (as of old, the days of Purim, that in the time of Mordecai and Queen Ester were turned unto the Jews, from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into good days, Est. 9.22.26.) we justly solemnize and make festival: For as then to quench the thirst of a cruel ambition, rivers full of blood streaming from the gashed veins of innumerable Innocents', were designed to be cut out through the very flesh and throats of Gods peculiar people: so was there as up n this day, a Tophet ordained and prepared for us and for our King, it was (to borrow the expression of the Prophet Is. 30.33.) mad deep and large, the pile thereof was fire and much wood: only, the breath of the Lord (which had tofore blown upon the cursed project of that Luciferian Haman) would not, as a stream of brimstone enkindle it: so that, that very mischievous devise which they indeed (to speak with the 
a Psal. 21.11.  Psalmist) [imagined] and intended against us, but were not able to [perform,] was then returned on their own pates: and, as the story tells us of Mixentius, who was first drowned himself, from that bridge of mouldering, leaking boats, from which he hoped the Christian Emperor Constantine should have miscarried; Lo! in the very 
b Psal. 9.15, 16.  same net, was their own foot taken.  
Who doubts, but, as of old, the too-unwary Benjimites, looking back behind them to their City Gibeab, Jud. 20.40. those cruel pioneers meant to feed their eyes with the joyful spectacle of those flames, which with a pillar of smoke, ascended up to Heaven, from our great Metropolis yea, to surfeit on the goodly prospect of those mangled carcases of Heretics, who, as that Angel of Manoah, Judg. 13.20. in the flame of the altar, were by a crack of Hellish thunder, mounted up to Heaven afore the Resurrection; and preferred thither, as some new companions to Elias, in a 
c 2 King. 2.11.  fiery Chariot?  
But, as Deborah observed, in an Irony of the impatience of the braving mother of Sisera, that looked before the victory, out at a window, to view the pomp of his approach, Judg. 5.28. saying, Why is his Chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his Chariots? have they not sped? have they not divided the prey? to every man, a Damsel or two? to Sisera, a prey of divers colours; a prey of divers colours of needle work, of divers colours of needle work, on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? Alas, alas! Fond Atheists, what Castles of crazy hopes had they now set up in the air? What silly Nimrods' were these, to build up Towers of expectation, that cannot but (being against God) prove 
d Gen. 11.5 9  Babel's and their sure confusion? besotted haman's, mounting up gibbets no less than fifty cubits high, to break their 
e Ester. 7.9, 10.  own necks! Behold, Sisera that great terror of Israel, who brought so many hundred thousands into the field, had (ere this vain brag of theirs) quit his Chariot, and betaken him to his heels; and those heels posted him to the Tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; and at her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down; at the feet of a woman, (a weak instrument) he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell down dead: Lo! there lay this proud wormsmeat sprawling with his head fastened to the ground, as if it had been now listening what was become of the Soul: against the hammer of a feeble woman, was this guilded potsherd of the earth not cracked, but broken: In short, he who was pleased to style himself, the mighty 
f Psal. 24.6.  God of Jacob, that God of Israel, who neither 
g Psal 121.4.  slumbered nor slept in the dangers of his chosen 
h Psal. 135.4.  treasure; this Lord of Hosts, sitting above in Heaven, 
i Psal. 2.4.  laughed all his enemies to scorn; and when their hopes, like ●o the sins of the Amorite, were ripe and 
k Gen. 15.16.  full, the Lord, he had them in derision, and by the hands of the weaker sex, leveled the magnificence of a daring Champion with the dust: Then Jael (saith the Text, Judge 4.21.) Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, an took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground; (for he was fast asleep and weary.) See here, no ●ne circumstance about his overthrow is left ●ut, So he died: And even so, saith good Deborah the Prophetess in my Text, So let all thine Enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that leave him, be as the sun, when he goeth forth in his might.  
And thus have ye seen the occasion of these words, in which (as to my observation they occur) we have two principal parts, commended to our notice. 
The division.  

I. An Imprecation upon God's Enemies; So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord.  
II. An Apprecation, or an obtestation of good, upon his friends; But let them that love him, be as the sun, etc.    
In the former, we have these particulars. 

1. The person employed, thus praying against God's enemies, Deborah a Prophetess, verse the first.  
2. The person unto whom she directs her Prayer, The Lord.  
3. The form of her imprecation, Let.  
4. The title she gives those, against whom she prays, God Enemies.  
5. The universality or extent of her devotion, [all] thine enemies.  
6. The matter of her Imprecation, Let them all (perish.)  
7. The manner, after which she desires they may all perish, So.    
So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord.  
In the second General, her Apprecation of good, we have. 

I. The Periphrasis of those she prayeth for, such as love the Lord.  
II. The Assimilation, or resemblance, whereto she suits their happiness, he sun; and to that sun, going forth and going forth in his might.    
These are the parts and heads of my discourse: of as many of them, in their cue order, as the time shall allow: and first, by way of explication; and then of Application, by God's assistance, and the wont favour of your Christian patience.  
THE first particular, is the person, that here makes this Imprecation upon God's enemies; 
Part. I.  and she is Deborah, a Prophetess and a Mother in Israel, Judg. 4.4. and 5.7. A circumstance remarkable, if we meditate the deplored estate of the Church in those times; which (as we find by the story) were most forlorn and desperate; For, nothing but Anarchy and Tumult now prevailed: And indeed in the whole face of that age, nought but botches and blains and ulcers could be discovered; which so universally became contagious, that all degrees of men were tainted; and the issue of them proved so dangerous, that from that one people then, is made good that Maxim in Policy; It's better to live, where nothing, hen where all things are lawful: for now were those days, Judg. 21. ●. in which there was no King in Israel, but every man did that, which was [right] in his own eye: And what was that, which was then so [right] in their own eyes? Read but the story, you shall die your cheeks in grain and blush: Then it seemed right in the eyes of Micah, to make himself Gods, or puppets of his own; and to keep a Levite to adore them, within his own private walls, Judg. 17. And if this seemed right to Micah, why not also unto others? ita, quot 
l B. Andrews p. 52. inter opera posthuma; contion. Lat. in psal. 144.10.  familiae, tot Idolorum portenta nova, so that there were not more families, then new monsters of Idolatry: Then it seemed right in the eyes of the Danites, not only to pilfer from the private closerts of Micah; but to depopulate and waste whole Cities, as they did Laish, Judg. 18. Then the shameless ravishments of women as of the Levites Concubine, seemed right in the eyes of the men of Gibeah, Ju. 19 The story abounds with particulars: all showing the state of those days to be most loathsome and rueful: Lo yet and see, even in those lose and forlorn times there was a Deborah found out in Israel; a grave and godly matron, fit to make a Prophetess, even Deborah the wife of Lapidoth: My note from hence is this; 
Observe.  That in the barrenest times of the Church, the Lord hath ever had some to fear him, and to stand up for his Truth. And this hath been found true, 
Proof.  in the experience of all ages: In the old World when a Deluge of iniquity, foregoing that of water, had overflowen the earth, and [all] flesh had corrupted his way, Gen. 6.12. yet even then, God saw a righteous Noah before him; and that [emphatically] even in so vile a generation, Gen. 7.1. In the very Court of Pharaoh (that peerless prodigy of impenitence and obduration) there was found a fervant, who feared the word of the Lord, Exod. 9.20. so likewise, even in Nero's household there was a Church, Phil. 4.22 .. After this when Idolatry had like Naaman's Leprosy overspread the whole body of the Church; yet even then, God had left him seven thousand in Israel, whose knees never bowed to Baal, and whose mourn near kissed him 1 King. 19.18. In farther process of time, in the days of Herod the King of Judea (that leech which sucked the blood of so many tender Innocents') there were found Zechary and E●izabeth, both righteous before God, Luk. 1.6. In short, even under the rage of that wild bore of the forest, Antichrist himself, Recel. 11.3. God had (as here in this story Deborah and Barack) two witnesses to stand up in his cause: And in those first times of but blooming Christianity, when the Heresy of Arriu, in those days, as that of the accursed Socinians in these now, (overthrowing, blasphemously, the divinity of Christ) like to that Pestilence in King David's time, spreading from Dan to Beersheba, had infected the whole Christian world, as S. Hierome acquaints us: yet then, God raised up the spirit of an undaunted Athanasius; whose learned zeal backed by the countenance and favour of the Christian Emperor Constantine; as the 
o 2 King. 2.21.  salt of Elisha, healing the sickly waters about Jericho; both affronted and put to silence the abettors of that horrid blasphemy; and by his tears, as by the bleeding of a chaste vine, cured the Leprosy of that tainted age: In a word, though 
p Gildas, apud Episc. Usher p. 68 c. 7. of the Irish Religion.  Gildas (the ancientest and most authentic Historian, that we have) complained that the number of good men were so exceeding short among the Britons in his time, in comparison of the exorbitant sons of Belial, who (as the Caterpillars sometimes over Egypt) prevailed sofarre upon the Nation, that their Mother the Church, in a manner, did not [see] them, lying in her own lap; albeit they were the only [true] son's, which she then had: yet sons she had still some, notwithstanding, who, as some few solid grains of corn, were fanned from a world of chaff, and esteemed by the Lord, as the costliest 
r Mal. 3.17.  Jewels and treasure of hat age: Even as here in the corruptest condition of Israel, there was found out a godly Deborah to deliver the Church, and to sing praises to the Lord Jehovah.  
Nor need we wonder at the observation: Reason. considering the infallibility of the truth of that covenant and promise, which God hath made with his Church: to wit, That he would so plant his fear into her heart, that she should never utterly and finally departed away from him, Jer. 32.40. and that, he had so founded her upon a Rock, as the gates of Hell should never be able to prevail against her, Math. 16.18. The phrase of speech is borrowed from the customs of those days, when the Counsellors of a State or City, were wont to treat of the affairs of the Nation in the [gates] of their Cities; as we see, Ruth. 4.1. and the Periphrasis of such a Counsellor, Pro. 31.23. and so of a simple man, on the contrary, it is said, Pro. 24.7. He openeth not his mouth in the [gate]: so that by the gates of Hell, are meant the policies and subtle stratagems of Satan; though they were such as had been by him and his agents, plotted and consulted of in the priviest Counsel-chamber (if so I may speak) of Hell itself; yet shall they never be able to prevail, 
Matth. 7.25.  irrecoverably to hurt the Church; no more than those billows in the Ocean do upon the Rocks, which return them back in froth without annoyance: yea, saith that famous Champion of it, the great 
t Athanasius orat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: confer. Arch B. Usher, c. 6, s. 6.7, 8, & c.p. 147. De success. Eccles. Christ.  Athanasius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. etc. The Church of Christ shall remain, as mount Zion 
u Psal. 1.25.1. , ; though hell herself and all the powers thereof be moved against it: Behold, as soon shall the smoke be able (though it make a deally smother in the chimney-top) to blot out the Sun, and to stifle up the air, for ever; as all the violence of Hell, universally to extinguish the truth or Church; Psalm. 89.33. and John 10.29.  
And this meditation should me thinks, Use. as Job saith God doth to the Sea, set 
u Job. 38.10.  doors and bars to the furious 
x Luk 6.11.  madness of the Enemies of God's Church; in whose heart it is, as Esay saith of Ashur, to 
y Isa 10.7.  destroy and to cut off Nations, not a few: When, alas! as soon shall the Earth become a Star, and darkness light, as God's 
z 2 Tim. 2.19.  foundation be overthrown: We read in the second Psalm, that the Heathen made a mighty tumult, raged furiously: and as that fly (in the Fable) upon the Axletree imagined, that they had raised a smothering dust, enough to put out the very eyes of Christ's Kingdom; and as for the bonds of subjection to his Gospel; look, as Samson did his 
a Judg. 16.9. withs, they will break them all, forsooth, in sunder, and cast away the cords thereof from them: compare also, Psalm. 83. But what of all this? alas! saith David, all this was but to imagine a 
b Psal 2.7.  [vain] thing; 'twas but as if the 
c Isa. 64.8.  Clay had contended with the Potter; or a Pigmy struggled with a Crane: For behold! maugre all opposition, yet have I set up Christ my King, saith God, upon my holy hill of Zion.  
Those nero's, Domitian's, Diocletians, and Maximians (the bloody tyrants of the Primitive times) can witness this; who having made ready the 
d Psal. 11.2.  arrow upon the string and prepared the 
e Psal. 7.13.  instruments of cr●ell death; yea even beforehand sounded the Triumph and engraven the Victory over the very [
f As of old Psal. 83.4.  〈◊〉] of Christianity, upon pillars of Marble with this inscription; Nomine Christianorum deleto, qui Rempuhl. evertebant: but all this brag of theirs was but as a blaze, before their last light went out, 〈◊〉 some bulging wall, that was swollen immediately before it fell; For, what was all that innocent blood of Martyrs, which they so violently spilt, but as 
g Tertul. in Apo 〈◊〉 banguis est s●●nen Christianoram  Tertullian saith the very seed to sow Gods 
h Psal. 80.15.  Vinyard, the Church, withal? in which for one true Catholic Saint cut off, many hundred sprang up afresh: this Palmtree, the more it was pressed, the higher it grew; that Israel, the more oppressed, the more they 
i Exod. 1.12.  multiplied; and this Ark, the more 'twas tossed on the billows, the nigher it was advanced up to the 
k Gen. 8.4.  Ararat of Heaven: In sum, when in the very last age of all, Pope 
l Sleidan. Comment. lib. 1.  Leo, that tenth Lion of Rome, roared upon the Church of God; and thought by his anathemas thundered from his simonia call Consistories, to have devoured it up as his Prey: or else as sometimes those Lions did upon Daniel, to have 
m Dan. 6.22.  fawned, by his abused indulgencies, upon simple ignorants; and so to have lurched the Patrimony of deluded souls into his own Checquer; When now the Church was (as the 
n Can. 6.10.  Moon enveloped in a Cloud) seemingly invisible, being all overgrown by the weeds of superstition; yet even then, God raised up a Luther, a man of an heroic spirit to muzzle the jaws of that rampant Antichrist; and to rectify the seduced judgements and consciences of well-meaning, but misguided Christians: And he so fare prevailed against the errors of the Church of Rome, that (when nothing else would serve) he made a [Protestation] against them.  
In the year 1529, April the sixteenth (as Calvisius sets it down in his Chronicle) there was a meeting of the States at Spira; when and where a Decree was made, by the (then) Popes Agents; that a late Edict at Worms against the Innovators, (so they styled Luther's fraternity) the effect whereof was, that there should be no such Reformation at all made, as the Lutherans called for; but omnia in integrum restituerentur, every thing should stand entire, as it did before; A decree, I say, was made, that that Edict should be served; Contra hoc edictum solennis fuit Protestatio, but against this Edict, there was a solemn Protestation: and from hence it was, that we of the Reformed Churches, first took the name of Protestants; protesting against those abominable corruptions and superstitions; which both in the ancient, and pure [doctrine] of Christ, (contained in the writings of the Apostles) and also in that Discipline, which was appointed by the same Apostles, and practised in their times, and ever after, in the universal settled Church of Christ; I say, Protesting against those damnable corruptions which had overgrown, and almost quite poisoned the world, and withal against the hindrance of that needful Reformation intended; from hence we took the Original name of Protestants.  
And hitherto we have (seemed) at least to own the title: now then go on and 
o 1 Cor. 16.13.  quit yourselves like men; withstand all the rotten doctrine of Popish Innovators and Teachers, that boast much (as the 
p Josh. 9.5.  Gibeonites sometime did of old shoes, and mouldy bread) of Antiquity; and dare obtrude upon the Consciences of God's people, their own humane Traditions, to be entertained (as themselves determine, in their Trent Conventicle) with 
q Concil-Trident. sess. 4 p. 8. vol. 8. [pari] pietatis affectu ac reverentiâ suscipit, & veneratur.  equal Faith and Credit, as God own sacred and immediately inspired unerring Scriptures are received; yea, not only so, but also introduce customs with a direct, Non obstante, to Christ's Gospel: For so I find expressly in the 
r Concil. Constantanno 1612. & Basil.  Counsels of Constance and Basil; Licet Christus suis Discipulis administraverit sub [utraque] panis, & vini specie, venerabile hoc Sacramentum; tamen [hoc non obstante] consuetudo communionis, sub [unâ] tantùm specie, nunc pro Lege habenda est: That is, although Christ administered unto his Disciples the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, under [both] kinds, of Bread and Wine; yet [this notwithstanding,] now the custom of receiving it only under [one] kind, is to be had for a Law. In opposing them therefore, ye oppose errors damnable in their nature; and surely damning also in the issue, without amendment; yea, ye protest against the very 
s 1 Tim. 4.1.  doctrine of Devils: Now then, be for 
t Zeph. 1.5.  God, or for Baal; abhor a Samaritan mongrel disposition; a Laodicean 
u Rev. 3.16.  lukewarmness; this 
x 1 King. 18.21.  halting twixt two opinions; this swearing by God, and by 
y Zeph. 1.5.  Malcham too; this 
z Exod. 12.39.  dowbaked lukewarm temper, God threatens to 
a Rev. 3.16.  spew out as loathsome and with nauseation from his presence: In short, is a man a Minister? and is his aim in Preaching, only by a vainglorious ostentation of wit to please 
b 1 Thess. 2.4.  man; or to tickle the 
c 1 Tim. 4.3.  itch of the wavering times; and not (without envy, without 
d ● Thess 2.5.  soothing partiality) to declare the pure doctrine of Christ Jesus, in 
e 2 Cor. 2.17.  sincerity; if this alone be his scope, let him go on, dissemble and rail; but know the time shall come, when upon such hollow, empty declamers, the Lord from out of Heaven shall pour scorn, 2 Tim. 3.9. and make them, even as the 
f 1 Cor. 4.13.  filth of the World, as the off-scowring of all things: such rotten bottoms cannot long hold water. Is a man a Magistrate? art thou a common Christian? deal 
g Prov. 10.9.  uprightly, do not play and dally with thy Conscience in any of thine actions: Be the times never so vicious, never so various; be not thou like a reed 
h Matth. 11.7.  shaken with the wind; be rather like to a Cube, firm to that station, fixed to thy right refolutions, which way soever thou art cast; imitating the pious example of Deborah in my text; who in the midst of raging anarchy, of prevailing enormities, remained as a nail 
i Ezra. 9.8.  fastened in a sure place, steadfast to the Lord.  
It is hard I confess (though indeed it be a more noble Act of Christianity) to uphold ourselves in integrity, when the current of the times is against us: The Patriarches themselves were transported by the times in the business of their Polygamy; and Joseph by long conversing in Pharaohs Court had learned to swear at length by Pharaohs life, Gen. 42.16. And when all Asia and the world shall worship the great goddess Diana of the Ephesians; who but a Paul, durst to cry down the Idolatry? Act. 19.27.  
Beloved Christians, we now live in the midst of a 
l Act. 3.40.  crooked and perverse generation; and may daily discover some, of whom we may say, as S. Paul did of Elymas the sorcerer, Act. 13.10. they are full of all subtlety and all mischief, enemies of all Righteousness, by their wrangling, and contentions, time-serving disturbance, never ceasing to pervert the ancient, right, and established ways of the Lord; Now therefore, under this so great a trial show yourselves; now 
m Matth. 5.16.  shine as Lights, furnish your Lamps with oil, and 
n Matth. 25.7.  trim them up, that the light of your lives may so shine in the faces of the world, that it may dazzle them whom it shall not guide: and sigh we have a copy so Peerless to write by (the very mirror of Christian Princes,) who in a Letter (dated but the 18. day of the last month of October, 1641.) written with his own Hand, hath commanded it to be made known; that he will live and die (by the grace of God) in the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England; as it was established in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and his pious Father of blessed memory: we have his word for it, and as David to Mephibosheth, I have 
o 2 Sam. 19.29.  said it, saith the King, it is enough: Blessed Princel whom no Torrent of novelty can carry from the ancient ways of truth: Let us all, as loyal Subjects, die our practice into the same colour of Resolution and Sanctity: God shall still raise up friends unto us and prosper us; 
p Act. 2.40.  and even in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, we shall save ourselves; like as good Deborah, in the midst of a tumultuous people, (even when there was [no 
q Judg. 21.25.  King] in Israel) was found out, (as some rich Diamond, or as some orient Ruby lying amongst a thousand pebble stones, a fit Matron to make a worthy Prophetess in Israel.  
And thus fare of the first particular circumstance, in the text; The person implied, that here makes this Prayer against God's enemies, saying, So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord.  
THE second particular, 
Part. II.  is the Person unto whom she prayeth, To the Lord Jehovah; and this notes the Character of a gracious disposition, 
Observe.  in the height of the Church's oppession by tyranny, still to look up unto the Lord, for refuge and Protection, see Hos. 5.15. 
Proof.  Ten thousands of people had set themselves round about King David; 
Read D. King, pag. 53, 54, 55, etc. Lect. 4. on Jonah.  now mark his behaviour; Arise O Lord, saith he, save me O my God; the reason is annexed, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: see Psal. 17.13, 14. So Deut. 32.99. See now, that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me; I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand: and Isa. 43.11. I, even I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour: upon which meditation the Psalmist said, that some put their trust in Chariots and some in Horses; but we will put our trust in the Lord, Psal. 20.7. The Horse indeed is a 
r See Bp. Hall serm-styled the Impress of God, ser. 1. ●nitio.  warlike creature, full of terror; so swift in service that the Persians (as Pausanias hath it) dedicated him unto their God, the Sun, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the swiftest creature, to the swiftest 
t Heliodor. Aethiopic. Hist. lib. 10. conser. Selden, de diis Syris, syntag. 2. ● Scimus solem adoratum fuisse â Persis. Calvin. lib. 1. c. 11. sect. 1.  God; out of his nostrils (to use Jobs expression, 41.20.) goeth a smoke, as out of a seething Pot or Cauldron, whose eyes are like the eye lids of the morning, he laugheth at the shaking of a spear, in his neck remaineth strength; he esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood; But, alas! saith that great warrior of the Lord of Hosts, Psal. 33.17. an Horse is a [vain] thing for safety, nor shall he deliver any by his great strength; yea God himself saith, that he delighteth not in the strength of an Horse, Psal. 147.10. The Horse indeed may be prepared against the day of Battle, but safety is of the Lord alone, Prov. 21.31. O our God, saith distressed Jehoshaphat, we know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee, 2 Chron. 20.12. Through God therefore only, we shall do valiantly; for he it is, that shall tread down our Enemies, Psal. 108.13. In short, it is [He] that giveth Salvation unto Kings, Psal. 144.10. The Lord is their strength, and he is the [saving] strength of his anointed, Psal. 28.8. For, as that great Image in Daniel may teach us, even all Empires themselves stand but upon feet of Clay, and must soon totter, except the Lord support them, Dan. 2.33.  
Now the ground, why the hearts of the Righteous trust in the Lord to be helped, is this meditation; namely, for that he is as a man of War, throughly accomplished and furnished with all things fit for a Victor; and one to be with full assurance relied on.  
There are four principal things, that are the motives of Confidence in any, whom a discreet man would dare to trust, 
Four principal grounds of confidence in God.  for the sure performance of any favour. 

1. Wisdom.  
2. Power.  
3. Goodness.  
4. Faithfulness.    
First, Wisdom to contrive ways and means, how to become a real Benefactor. Secondly, Power to be able to perform, what is wisely projected. Thirdly, a propension, and an inclination to make use of both the former, for the advantage of him, that trusts in him. Fourthly, faithfulness, so that a man may rest securely for the discharge of all the former, for his benefit. Now all these are eminent in the Lord.  
For the first, Wisdom, it is so in him, that all the policies in the world are, in comparison, direct foolishness and mere vanity, 1 Cor. 3.19, 20. yea, so vain, that he taketh the wise in their own craftiness, that is, such as are wise either in their own conceits, or else wise, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the esteem of worldly-wise men; alas! saith Job 5.11. The Lord disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise; and indeed all worldly wisdom is rather craft & guile, or subtlety then true wisdom; and when the Lord shall blow upon it, it is all soon blasted into sottish 
u Rom. 1.22.  infatuation. An example of this we have in Achitopbel; whose Counsel, in his days was, saith the Scripture, as if a man had enquired at the 
x 2 Sam. 16.23.  Oracle of God; and yet the Lord defeated the Counsel even of Achitophel himself, and turned it into folly, 2 Sam. 17.14. and 15.31. So also was the plot of the Jews against Saint Paul disappointed, Act. 23.16, 23. For saith Solomon, there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor Counsel against the Lord, Prov. 21.30. And who indeed is able, by all his lines and plumbers to fathom, or found the bottom of God's all-discerning Eyesight, both to foresee the danger of his people and to prevent it? His ways of deliverance are many 
y Haber Dominus m●lle● aries, ●●●ns●●a●t as vias  yea innumerable; and all of them 
z ●om. 11.33.  past findding out; and (till the event declares them) nor to ad suos liberandos, Peter Martyr, Epist. Calvin. pag. 1124. be known by so shallow an apprehension as man's .  
Secondly, For power he is such, as no creature is able to 
z Rom. 9.19.  resist; therefore saith the Prophet, who is so 
a Psal. 77.13.  great a God as our God? even our God, who is mighty in 
b Psal. 24.8.  Battle; whose very 
c Psal. 29.5.  voice, in his thundering and lightnings, in storms and Tempests, shaketh all the Cedars in Lebanon; whose very looks dry up the depths, and whose indignation maketh the mountains to melt away: In short, he is [able] saith the great Apostle, Ephes. 3.20. to do abundantly more than we can think; Nor is this power momentany or flitting; no, saith the Prophet, Isi. 26.4. In the Lord Jehovah is [everlasting] strength: He is alone El-chaddai, the strong and all-sufficient God: Examples are endless; see a few; some showing how the Lord makes 
f Isa. 52.10.  bare his own arm, and getteth [
g Psal. 98.1.  himself] the victory [himself] as if he stood in need of none, no not of the meanest aid; and therefore is Christ's victory expressed by treading of a winepress [alone], Isa. 63.1.6. When there are none to help; when the Church is brought to sorest extremities and greatest improbabilities of being saved; yet (saith one) though multitudes meet against her, as many as Grapes in a Vintage, they shall all be, but as so many clusters of Grapes; He shall squeeze out their blood like Wine, and make his Church to thash them. And this he doth sometimes extraordinarily, to show himself the immediate author of the deliverance; as when he discomfited the Host of the the Syrians by a noise of Horses and Chariots of fire, 2 King. 6.17. and 7.6. as there was a 
h Euseb. l. 3. c. 8.  voice heard in the Temple, before the destruction of Jerusalem; not more (in likelihood) to warn the faithful to departed the City, than to terrify the lewd inhabitants: The story of our own Henry the fifth, against the numerous Frenchmen, (who thought to have even crowded them to death) is more known than to need relation: Under the conduct of Germanus, (here in Britain) who came over from France to subdue the Pelagian heresy, (which then prevailed amongst us) against a mighty army of Saxons and Picts; the Britons prevailed only by the three times pronouncing the word Hallelujah, which voice echoing & redoubling from the Acclamation of his followers among the Mountains, nigh to which the Enemy had encamped, frighted them and won the Conquest; upon which it was called 
i Vide Archiepis. Usserium, lib. de Britan. eccles. primordiis p. 332, 333. etc.  Victoria Hallelujatica; and the story telleth us, Triumphant Pontifices, bostibus fusis sine fanguine, triumphant victoriâ fide obtentâ, non [viribus;] The joy was in a victory gotten without bloodshed, and that by Faith, not by force. Sometimes again, the senses of the Enemies are deluded; as the Moabites seeing the sun shining upon the water flowing [happily] upon red earth, had their eyes dazzled, and so ran upon their unthought-off destruction, 2 King. 3.22, 23. And so also he made way to his indignation upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians, by rolling up the waters into an heap, till they were all run full on, into the very gulf of destruction, Exod. 14.  
Sometimes again ordinarily; but by [weak] means: Thus Zerah the Ethiopian, with his Host of a thousand thousand, was overthrown by a handful of King Asa; for it is nothing with the Lord, to help whether with many, or with them that have no power 2 Ch. 14.11. And Gideon only with three hundred men, and a with few empty pitchers and blinking Lamps, undid the Midianites; though they lay as Grasshoppers, upon the valley of Morch Judg. 7.7.20. the reason is, verse the second; Lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saith the Lord, saying, Mine [own] hand hath saved me: So David (a young stripling) goeth forth against the huge monster Goliath; and with nought but a sling and a smooth stone, smote that dread of Israel, that he felldown like to an 
k Pro. 7.22.  Ox fatted for the slaughter, at the feet even of a tender stripling, 1 Sam. 17. So the walls of Jericho were thrown down with the blast of Rams-horns, Josh. 6.20. to see walls that seemed to challenge by their height, an equipage with the Stars of Heaven; a man would imagine, no warlike engine of the most martial ostentation, enough to batter them; but behold! that God may have the glory of so great a downfall, only a seven days walk about them, with the sound not of any silver shrill trumpets, but only of Rams-horns; instruments base for the matter, and not loud for the sound; this must do the business; for the Lord, when he will compass an overthrow, makes 
l B●. Hall, Contemplate. of the siege of Jericho.  weakness no disadvantage; and very mean and homely are those means which God commonly useth in his most glorious works, At other times again, by ordering casualties and particular emergencies, for the deliverance of his Church; a thing conspicuous in the Histories of Joseph & Eester; in which book of Eester, though the name neither of [God] nor [Lord] be found at all; yet, in no Scripture is there set down more wonderful, and remarkable passages, and acts of Gods immediate providence for his calamitous people; So that as a man by a Chain made up of several links some of Gold, others, of silvers; some of Brass, Iron, or Tin, may be drawn out of a Pit: so the Lord, (saith an 
m Mr. Edward Reynolds, on Ps. 110. ver. 5.6. p. 499.  eminent Divine, of this age) by the concurrence of several subordinate things, which have no manner of dependence, or natural coincidency among themselves, hath oftentimes wrought the deliverance of his Church; that it might appear to be the work of his own hand. In short, God partly by defeating the devises of the crafty; partly by restraining the power, or overruling the malice of the wicked, 
n Jud 6. confer. D. King p. 56. Lect. 4. on Jonah.  chayning up even Satan himself; by these and a thousand other ways, the Lord declareth his power, to be more [for] his Church, than all the Enemies thereof can be [against] it: and therefore after Deborahs' example here, because of that his [power,] he is chief to be sought unto, in the time of danger.  
Thirdly, for God's goodness and readiness to relieve the wants of his children; it flows naturally from the bowels of his innate compassions and most tender loving kindness; therefore, Luke. 1.78. old Zachary calls them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: thus when his embondaged people groaned under their Egyptian burdens, the Lord [looked] upon them, and soon eased [them] of their sigh, and [
o Isa. 1.24.  himself] of his adversaries; Exod. 2.23, 24, 25. see Psal. 103.8, 9 Mic. 7.19.  
Lastly, for fidelity and faithfulness; hear Truth itself to speak, Matth. 5.48 the whole creation shall as soon fail, as the least iota of God's word fail of accomplishment: yea, in comparison of God, every even of the truest men is a direct Liar, Rom. 3.3. For, it is an impossibility, that God should lie, Heb. 6.18. or deny himself, being truth itself, 2 Tim. 2.13. As for [man] indeed, wherein is he to be 
p Isa. 2.22.  accounted of? whose breath is in his Nostrils: whose fidelity and favour, like to the reeds of Egypt may not fail us only, but run into our hands and hurt us? 2 King. 18.21. see Psal. 12.1. and Prov. 2●. 19. Confidence in an unfaithful friend in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint: For, as there is no trusting to a broken tooth for feeding, nor to alame leg for speedy journeying, no more firm confidence is there to be placed in a wa●ering, yielding, unfaithful friendship: Now in God, his fidelity is like himself. 
q Ma●. 3.6. Jam. 1.17.  unchangeable; therefore, David in the experience of it, calleth him so often, his Rock, his fortress, his Tower of defence, etc. confer Psal. 28.7, 8. and Heb. 10.23. No marvel then is it, that good Deborah in the distress of the Church, seeks to Jehovah, to undo its Enemies: she might happily, remember [that] of the Lord to Moses; being now about to deliver by his hands, his Israel from thraldom, Exod. 6.3. Note the place, I appeared unto Abraham, (saith God) unto Isaac and unto Jacob, by the name of God All mighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them: Quest. How expound we this Scripture? was not God known to the Patriarches before the days of Moses, by the name Jehovah? we find it expressly mentioned, Gen. 157.28. & 13. and 26.25. Answ. For answer, our 
r Lyra & Junius ad Exod. 6 3. & Zanch. de Natura Dei, cap. 13. lib. 1. sect. 34. etc. & Estius, in lib. 1. sent. Dist. 8. sect. 2. Referendum hoc est, non ad significationem vocabulorum; sed ad declarationem rerum significatarum, etc. id. ibid.  modern Divines do jointly resolve the meaning, to be understood of the actual performance of those promises, by a real exhibition; which the Patriarches and faithful, did rest [before] in expectation of, touching Israel's deliverance from bondage out of Egypt; their faith and hope being grounded upon his Name, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, [almighty] Gen. 17.1. For both in the Creation of the world, and in the destroying of the same again by water, and withal by bestowing many Gifts upon them; he had showed himself to be God [all-sufficient] to do, whatsoever he promised; but now he would manifest himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Jehovah, in giving a constant [being] unto the [performance] of of his old promise; even as verily as he gave his own eternal, and immutable Essence and Subsistence unto him else; therefore King David, after an actual overthrow of God's Enemies, cries out, Psal. 68.4. Extol him that rideth upon the Heavens, by his name [Jah] and rejoice before him: And the Propheresse in this place, recounting happily, the known acts of Jehovah, in the miraculous overthrow of his Enemies; and in the wonderful reskues of his people, seen (even then) in the ruin of the King of Canaan and of Sisera his chief Captain; she makes her address, for the utter Consumption of all the rest of the Lords Enemies, (not as Baal's Priests, 
f 1 King 18.28. See D. King, p. 73. Lect. 5. on Jonab.  cutting themselves with lancers and howling upon false gods, nor as some doltish Romanists, chattering unto some Saint) she flieth, I say, unto no arm of flesh, or Idol; but only, and in the first place, unto the Lord Jehovah; saying, So let all thine Enemies perish [O Lord.] Use.  
And what better use can we make of this passage, than to follow her steps herein? for in vain, shall we imagine with 
t Sueton. in Tiberio.  Tiberius, that Omnia fato, all things are swayed by inevitable fate and destiny; or that Salvation is to be hoped for, from 
u Psal. 33.16.  multitude; or, from the 
* Jer. 3.23.  Hills, if the Lord be against us: For, though we be as No, (that is, 
x Junius ad cap. 3. Nah ver. 8.  Alexandria in Egypt) a [populous] Nation, situate among the rivers, with ramparts and walls from the Sea, as 
r Nah. 8.9.  Nahum expresseth it, and were our strength as infinite; yet if God say to us now, as he did unto her then, Nah. 3.5. Behold, [I] am against thee, saith the Lord of Hosts; even we, as well as she, may be carried away, and go into captivity, ver. 10, If God be [for 
* Read Isa. 41.10.11, 12, etc. Horat. ] us, who can be [against] us? Rom 8.31. Fractus licèt illabatur orbis, impavidos ferient ruina; 
z Psal. 144.15.  Happy are the people, saith the Psalmist, that are in such a case; yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord, Psal. 144.15. in [this] condition, we will not fear what 
a Psal. 56.11.  Man can do unto us; But if God be [against] us, who can be for us? What power, what strength avail us? I conclude this point therefore, with that experienced Prophet, Psal. 73.28. It is good for us, to draw near unto God, etc. And thus fare also of the second particular, namely, The Person unto whom she, the Prophetess Deborah, in the text directeth her Prayer against God's Enemies, unto the Lord Jehovah; saying, So let all thine Enemies perish [O Lord.]  
THE next particular is, the form of her Imprecation, 
Part. III.  Let; So [let] all thine Enemies perish O Lord: Where the quere falls in, Quest. Whether it be lawful to pray against our Enemies, or not; sigh our Saviour seems expressly to enjoin the contrary, Matth. 5.43, 44. Ye have heard, that it hath been said, saith Christ, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and [hate thine Enemy;] but I say unto you, love your Enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you; yea pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you? The resolution hereunto shall be short; Answ. and that which the Schoolmen have herein acutely framed us; First than the words [Thou shalt hate thine Enemy] are no where found in all the whole Law; but were crept into the mouths of the vulgar, from some additional and false gloss of the Jews; who because the love of the brother or friend was common deed, concluded absurdly, therefore that the hatred of the Enemy was not forbidden; But if ye observe it, Christ doth not say, Ye have [known] that it hath been written but only, Ye have heard, that it hath been said; for it was a mere Tradition of their corrupt Rabbins; no fundamental or sound warrant of truth at all: And for answer to the question; we must as 
b Durand. in lib. 3. sent. Dist 30. quest. in fine. H.— & Bonavent. 3. sent. Dist. 30. & Nicol, de Orbellis in eund. lib. & Thom. 2. a. 2ae. quest 25. Art. 8. & Raynerius de Pisis, tom. 1. Pantheolog. cap. De Inimicis, p. 1160, 1161.  Durandus with the full Chorus of the Schoolmen advise us, distinguish of, and consider an Enemy, two ways, first Formally, secondly Materially. First, formally, as an Enemy; Secondly, materially, as a man made after the Image of God: In the first sense, we are not bound to love an Enemy, [as] an Enemy; that is, as one whose Evil of sin is both odious in itself, and also unto God; and so by consequence should be unto us; for this [vice] of his, which occasions enmity, is contrary unto right and divine Charity: But secondly, as this Enemy hath in him materially a copartnership of the same [nature] of humanity with ourselves; so we are bound, First, In Vniversali, in the General, to wish him well; Secondly, Yea in particulari, in special also, in case of 
c 〈◊〉 perfecti●● 〈…〉 Articulo amare Alexander. Pesantius, comment in Tho. 2 a. 2. c. qu. 25. Art. 8.  necessity, in temporal things to do him good, Rom. 12.20, we may by so doing heap up coals of fire upon his head, that is, as Aquinas interprets it, enkindle some motions, or warmth of charity in him; his wickedness being won to Piety, by the offices of love; Yea more yet, offices of good even in 
d Scilicetin praeparationeantum, Thomas, libi supra; in cers. & Pet. La ●●hard. l. 3. dist. 29. G. diligamus, inquit, mimices [lacrandus] reg●o Dei.  Spiritual things may not be denied; such as 
e Mat. 5.44. pro omnibus immicis quantum vis perversis orandum est, nisi constiterit eos esse in peccato mortali [sinaliter] Alex. Hales part. 3. quaest. 59 mem. 5. Art. 7.  Prayer for his conversion, perswsiaons unto use of the means of grace, etc. he having a nature capable, equally with ourselves of happiness: Thus we find Saint Stephen, the Proto-Martyr of the Gospel, praying for his persecutors, Act. 7.60. saying, Lord lay not this sin to their charge; and by that devotion he obtained, not their pardon only, but felicity; whence was occasioned that known saying of the Father; si Martyr Stephanus non sic orâsset, Ecclesia Paulum non habuisset; If the Martyr Saint Stephen had not so prayed, the Church had not had Saint Paul for a Convert. Quest. 2 But the Truth is, the more opposite question that this text occasions, is, touching imprecations upon, or prayers against [God's] Enemy's, not our [own], for so the text, So let all (thine) Enemies perish, O Lord: And the resolution is, Answ. succinctly, this: That for our own Personal enemies, we must remember the distinction of a threefold remission or forgiveness; 1. The one is called, Remissio judicii; a man may and must sensibly understand, and apprehend an injury; for an injury being an affliction, God will have us take notice of his strokes and hear his rod, who hath appointed it, Mic. 6.9. Jer. 5.3. 2. Remissio satisfactionis, when the wrong done us from an Enemy, exceeds the guilt of the injured so fare, that the scandal accrueing by it, extendeth to a public notice; and the endangering of our credit, whether for good name, estate, or perhaps, Religion; in this case, the Law is open, the matter may be empleaded, Act. 19.38. 3. Remissio Vindictae, the forgiveness of revenge; and this is absolutely required; [
* Heb. 10.10.  Vengeance] is only Gods alone to repay, and to him we must leave it, Rom. 12.19. and therefore King David (that Map of wrongs) was wont to [pray] for such Enemies, Psal. 35.13. But now, if the Enemies be more than Personal and private, and prove public, against [God] or else, therefore, [Reflexively] alone personal, that through our sides the wicked might strike at God's honour; as the Psalmist saith expressly, Psal. 38.20. They are mine adversaries, (see their motive) because I follow the thing that good is: Lo! there is an Antipathy between the two seeds; the just, even because he is just, is therefore as a shepherd was to an Egyptian, an [
f Gen. 46.34.  abomination] to the wicked: In this case, as they are Gods Enemies, we may safely, with good Deborah here pray, That they may all perish: Hence that of Jehu, the son of Hanani the Seer unto Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou love them that hate the Lord? 2 Chron. 19.2. and David often, see Psal. 139.20, 21, 22. Thine Enemies take thy name in vain; Do not I hate them o Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? yea I hate them with perfect hatred, I count them mine Enemies: and Psalm 109. throughout, see what volleys of imprecation he spendeth upon God's Enemies: so we find, that the Primitive Christians had set prayers, against Julian the Apostate; and even hither may not impertinently be applied that of our Saviour, Lu. 14.26. where we are bidden to hate our very Parents for Christ, that is, whatsoever evil is in the nearest or dearest unto us, (it being against God) we must, though cherish the nature, yet abhor the Vice.  
Nor need we wonder at this zeal; Reason. because as when the dross is purged from the silver, it is more bright: So when the wicked (professedly such) are cut off, the righteous, whose godliness was before 
h Matth. 13.43.  clouded, and who themselves were 
i Psal. 83.3.  hidden in some obscurity; they have then an opportunity of appearing; and that 
k Psal. 112.4.  light and gladness, which was 
l Ps. 97.11.  sown for the righteous, now 
m Phil. 4.10.  springeth forth afresh, and shines with glory, etc.  
Wherefore, Use. I conclude the farther amplification upon this point, as David, Psal. 7.9. O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just: For the righteous God tryeth the hearts and reins.  
Follows next the title here given to those, 
Part. IU.  she prayeth against, Thine [Enemy's:] Let all thine [Enemy's] perish, O Lord.  
In another expression, they are called, in both Testaments, the [haters] of the Lord: So by David, Ps. 68.1. Psal. 81.15. and in the New, by Saint Paul, Rom. 1.30. Haters of God; the greek word, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Theophylact saith, the phrase hath a double acception, active and passive; it denoting both men hating God, Deiosores; and also men hated by God, Deo odibiles, as Primasius renders it: Thus God is said to hate, or to abhor the covetous, Psal. 10.3. and to have hated Esau, Rom. 9.13. implying the dislike and detestation of the wicked, in respect of their sins: But as Oecumenius, with S. 
u S. Cyprian epist. 68 sect. 10.  Cyprian, (who reads it actively, abhorrentes Deo) and the best Moderns expound the place: the word is taken actively, of such wicked, as do hate God: because as 
o Beza & Estius ad Rom. 1 30. & Adam Sasbout; It. Cajetan in Paraphrabid.  Beza and EsTius give the reason; the purpose of Saint Paul is not to show God's affection of hatred towards the Gentiles; but the Gentiles foul enormities resident in themselves: therefore Beza criticising guesseth, it should be accented probably in the greek, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Take we it then actively, it implieth that hatred, which men carry to the Divine Majesty; where Schoolmen usually question; Whether it be possible for a man to [hate] God, Quere. who is the chiefest good, and who alone hath in him all amiable excellencies? To which their answer is, that God apprehended in his Essence, or immanent actions, or gracious properties, being a father of mercies, and abounding in indulgence and pardon; thus he is not hated of any; Answ. But as he is apprehended under the notion of a Judge, as of a God clothed with Majesty and full of Power, able to avenge himself in wrath, and fury, and indignation upon the children of disobedience; in this consideration, he is hated of ungodly men; So we find, that the wicked cannot abide the very thought of God, Psal. 10.4. and cannot endure his presence; either in the 
p D. Sel. exposit. on Rom. 1.30 p. 159.  Heart by his Spirit, or in the Congregation by his Word; nor in his coming to Judgement, nor lastly, (to the Death) any of the friends of God, or of such as love him; Therefore the adversaries of Gods (people) are called, the haters of [God] himself, Psal. 81.14, 15. Which sense soever you take it in; if they be God's Enemies, they shall be all as 
q Job. 21.18.  stubble before a 
r Heb. 12.29.  consuming fire; and the Lord to ease himself of his adversaries, (whose iniquity he cannot 
s Hab. 1.13.  see and like) shall set them as a 
t Lam. 3.12, 13.  Butt, and spend the arrows of his sore displeasure upon them; they shall be sure to perish.  
AND so I pass on unto my fift particular, 
Part. 5 & 6.  which is the matter of Deborabs Imprecation, Let thine Enemies (perish) O Lord: To which part, I will add also that other, of the Extent of her devotion; Let (all) thine Enemies perish. By [perishing] is not here meant the utter annihilation of their eternal absolute being, the very Essence of the Soul carrieth 
u Matth. 10.28.  immortality in it: but only of their [well-being] or rather of their confusion, before the present world; because it is said of Jabin and Sisera, that when they perished at Endor, they became as dung for the [earth,] Psal. 83.9. So that our note from hence will be this, viz. To show us the affectionate desires of the Saints, for the Universal overthrow and extirpation of the wicked enemies of God, 
Obser.  and of his Church: Let them (all) perish, O Lord.  
As it was said of Israel going out of Goshen, that they left not somuch as an 
* Exod. 10.26.  hoof behind them, so is it earnestly wished by the Saints, that not so much as one Agag, or one 
x 1 Sam. 15.3.  Amalekite might be spared; no nor (if the Lord were pleased so to dispose it) one 
y Josh. 15.63. & 23.13. Propose.  Jebusite left as a Relic in Canaan; To this purpose, he who long experimented the usances of such enemies, hath expressed himself, Psal. 104.35. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, 
Consumpti, id est simul sumpti.  and let the wicked be no more, and Psal. 10.15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man, seek out his wickedness, till thou find none: Oh that some 
z Isa. 14.23.  bosom of destruction from the Lord, would sweep them clean off the Land, and that all the 
a Matth. 3.12.  Chaff and 
b Matth. 13.25.  Tares might (if possible) at once, be bound up together in bundles, and cast into flames 
c Luk. 3.17.  unquenchable. O my God, saith the zealous Prophet, make them like a 
d Psal. 83.13.  wheel; strike them with some Vertiginous spirit of giddiness; let them be vexed, even as a thing that is raw; restlessely, unexpressibly, never leave rolling and winding of themselves, till they have utterly undone themselves; and be clothed with their own 
f Psal. 109.29.  confusion, as with a mantle, etc.  
Nor may we marvel at this zeal; sith, whilst these Jebusites do stay among us, Reason. they are but as 
g Josh. 23.13.  thorns in our eyes; yea, the only 
h Zech. 3.1.  Satan's, which stand at the very right hand of our Joshuas, to resist or to disturb them, in their most fervent services and devotions: These the only achan's, who 
i Josh. 7.25.  trouble our Israel, and as Jebu said to Jehoram, What 
k 2 King. 9.22.  peace can be expected (with any assurance) in any Nation; where the Whoredoms or Witchcrafts, (whether Temporal or 
l Rev. 17.5.  Spiritual) of but one Jezabel, are endured?  
It is said here, in the close of this Text, That the Land had rest forty years: but note the occasion, (and it is very observable) Judg. 4.16. All the Host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword, and there was not a Man left: in relation unto which, for the procuring of Peace for after times, the good Prophetess in likelihood, here prayed for a total eradication; saying, So let all thine Enemies perish O Lord.  
Yourselves with due Cautions, Use. may make the application: I have spoken unto 
m 1 Cor. 10.15.  wise men, who can judge, I doubt not, what I say.  
AND so I come to the seventh and last particular in the Text, which is the manner, 
Part. VII.  after which she desires, that all these Enemies of the Lord may perish, Sic pereant, so: which Monosyllable (So) I have reserved to handle in the last place; because it will best usher in my intended application of the whole; and is indeed, as that Wine made by Christ at the Marriage feast, in Cana of Galilee, kept as the [
n Josh. 2.10.  best] till last: So, let all thine Enemies perish O Lord. How? or, which way, would she have them perish? Perhaps we may resolve this So, as 
o Ribera, ad Amos 4.12.  Ribera from Saint Hierom, doth that [so] or [thus] in the Prophet, Amos 4.12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel; Thus? How? or in what manner? R. Non nominat mala, ut omnia timeant; He names no one particular evil, that so they might stand in awe, and be afraid of every evil of punishment: 
p Sueton. lib. 1. sect. 65.  Suetonius telleth us, that it was the very policy of Julius Caesar, never to foreacquaint his Soldiers of any set time of removal, or onset; Scilicet, ut paratum, & intentum, momentis omnibus, quo velle., subito educeret; That he ever have him, in readiness, for the suddainest march: nor was his way of animation and encouragement, by extenuating or denying the danger of the Enemy; but he deemed it fit to raise up thoughts of valour, by an aggravation of the contrary forces; and (as the story shows us) did not seldom this way Hyperbolically Rhetoricate; I know you can apply: But, whether that be intended in this text, I will not peremptorily say: But certainly, my dear Brethren, it's a most useful meditation, and very available to prevent obstinate security in dangerous times; to consider the variety of Plagues, that the Lord hath up in store for the children of disobedience; to which end, I think it is, that the Lord is pleased to set before our eyes so large a Catalogue of Curses, Deut. 28.  
Give me leave a little to enlarge upon this subject, I shall ground my enlargement on that of the Stoic 
q Epictetus' in enchiridio.  Epictetus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith he, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: that is (as I interpret it) according to diversity of apprehension of good, or evil, so are men's minds diversely affected: and there are evils grievous to some, that seem good to others: for example, tell a valiant Soldier of War approaching, you speak to his heart, for than he thrives; But tell a crazy Citizen of the fury of War, of the roaring of Cannons, of the 
r Nab. 3.2.  rattling of Chariots, of 
s Isa 9 5.  garments rolled in blood, and such like hideous disasters of battles; you pierce him at the heart, and give him 
t Isa. 61.3.  mourning for the oil of gladness: To speak of famine to a rich Churl, that keeps 
u Pro. 11.26.  in his Corn, till the people curse him; you cheer his very soul, and his joy is greater than the 
* Isa. 9.3.  joy in harvest; but let the poor people fear dearth, or but hear of it, in the causes, their very hearts even 
x Josh. 7 5.  melt within them: Bring an earthworm tidings of a spiritual 
y Amos 8.11.  famine, of hearing the word of God; or of the loss, at the least, hazard of the purity of Religion; lo! such a 
z Matth. 7.6.  swine doth but trample upon a pearl, and as Gallio, Act. 18.17. he careth for none of these things; but deal with one, that hath 
a 1 Pet. 2.3.  tasted how gracious the Lord is in his word; which is the 
b Rom. 1.16.  power of God unto salvation, to a true believer, who labours to express the 
c 2 Tim. 3.5.  power of godliness in his actions; he is affected as the good wife of Phineas, when the Ark was taken; and cryeth out in the very bitterness of his 
d 1 Sam. 4.21.  soul, Ichabod, where is the Glory? when the Ark is taken: surely the glory is departed from any land, when the Gospel, (the Testimony of God's presence and favour,) is like the Ephesian 
e Rev. 2.5.  Candlestick, removed thence.  
Besides, there are some judgements of God, which naturally are dreadful, and yet have been executed upon some for ensamples; as, why think we not upon that of Sodom, when 
f Gen. 19  fire and brimstone were yoated down in full showers from Heaven, to consume the bestial inhabitants? Why not likewise, upon that vengeance of God upon Corab, Dathan and Abiram; whom for their ungracious mutiny, and envy at the sons of Levy, the earth opening 
g Num. 16.  swallowed up quick, and (as unaccustomed morsels) devoured alive? Why not of Israel, destroyed of 
h Num. 21.6. & 1 Cor. 10.9.  serpents? on Absalon, taken off in the very 
i 2 Sam. 18.9.  act of his sin, in the heat of treason and Parricide, 
k 2 King. 9.36.  against a King, and a Father? Why not of Jezabel, that frontless brazen faced strumpet, whose abused body and members were entombed in the bowels of Dogs? Why not of Samaria and Jerusalem, where Parents were urged in distress to 
l 2 King. 6.29.  boil and 
m Josephus.  feed upon their own issue? Why not of Midianites, whom fear and sudden frightfulnes occasioned to make 
n Jud. 7.21.  each others bowels the sheaths of their mutual swords, and as the brood of 
o Suoque Marte ruunt subiti, per mutua vulnera, fratres. Ovid.  Cadmus, to destroy each other? I might be almost infinite, this way: What? saith the zealous Apostle, 1 Cor. 10.22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? Thus let us think that if Famine, or Sword, or Pestilence, or the noisome Beast, (those four sore judgements of his, Ezek. 14.21.) have consumed some of us; 
p Job. 4.5.  yet is not the storehouse of God's vengeance exhausted: lo! 
q Job. 10.17.  changes and armies of sorrow, as Job calls them; the Lord hath still laid up in his treasury of wrath; and what know we, which may befall us? Moreover, we must take notice, that God's judgements are not all of one kind: 
r 9.35. & Isa. 6.10. & Ro. 4.5.  there are invisible Plagues as well as those which light outwardly upon the Body, Goods, or Name; What think you of, hardness of heart, horror, & 
s 1 Tim. 4.2.  stupefaction of Conscience, blindness of mind, 
t Ephes. 4.19.  greediness in committing sin, yet stupid stockishnes and remorslesnesse under the guilt of it; a 
u Rom 4.28.  permission to run on in a course of enormity, to 
* 1 Joh. 5.19.  lie down in that wicked one, under the very power & 
x 2 Tim. 2.26.  vassalage of the Devil; and all this without any sense of a God to judge them, of any Conscience to accuse them, of any Hell to engulfe them, or damned Spirits to torment them, to all eternity; when the Lord, as we read, Deut. 29.4. hath not (all this time in this rueful plight) given them an heart to perceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear, and hearing to lay to heart the dreadful 
y Rev. 16.1.  vials of wrath, and direful indignation, threatened to be poured out upon such obstinate 
z Ephes. 2.2.  Children of disobedience. And surely of all judgements, these spiritual ones are the heaviest, and most to be trembled at; and the persons upon whom we see them executed, have (of all others) upon them, the most express Characters (for the present, & quoad nos) of castaways, and 
a Soli filii iraeiram non sentiunt, sed laetantur, & exultant in rebus pessimis. S. Bern.  sons of wrath; and methinks the powers of our very Souls cannot but be shaken (as Belshazzars 
b Dan. 5.6.  joints once trembled, and smote to either at the sight of the handwriting upon the wall) at the meditation.  
In short, for the wicked, this is that, which the Lord threatens; that which he [
c Prov. 10.24.  fears] shall surely come upon him; yea if there be any evil, that he feareth more than other, that let him expect to self upon him; for so God threatens him, Pro. 10.24. And for the rest of us all, we have all cause to fear like judgements for like sins, and impenitence. If we be 
d 1 Cor. 10.7 etc.  Idolaters, Adulterers, Murmurers, 
e 2 Tim. 3.2.  unthankful, unholy, disobedient, etc. How can we escape the same wrath with others, living under the dominion of the same unrighteousness? sith the Lord hath protested, to make them share in like punishments, who resemble in like sinning. Generally, let this be our wisdom, to forecast our possibilities; and to foresee our penalties pregnant in their causes, our sinful security; and let us all think, if one judgement smite us not, another may; if no paticular, yet all may betid us: for lo! saith God to Israel, [Thus] will I do unto thee; I name no one particular judgement, that thou mayest tear every judgement. And here Deborah in the text, praying for the overthrow of God's Enemies makes no mention of any particular way to have them perish in; but only saith, at large and in the General; Sic pereant, [So] let all thine Enemies perish, O Lord.  
But notwithstanding this useful meditation; If yet we reserre to this particular story, (as indeed for an apt exposition, we cannot but do) than the manner o● Sisera's overthrow will best interpret Deborah● meaning.  
1. Then So that is by weak means; For we read, Judg. 4.9. that the honour of Sisera's ruin was not to be cast upon Barak, though happily a valiant man, but the Lord, saith the Text, shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman; For J●el the wife of Heber, by a special instinct from God; (much like unto that instinct which moved 
f Num. 25.7, 8.  Phineas, to destroy Zimri and Cosbi) she was the instrument of Siseras' destruction; so was there a mighty deliverance wrought by Hester, a woman, from Hamans' intended cruelty upon the people of God; and by Judith, from Holofernes: And if I may take liberty to wove a  thread or two of secular story, among the white-silk threads of divine; I could acquaint you, that in the most famous battles of the world, women have been renowned: in that war of Xerxes against the Grecians, the Persian Men fled shamefully and were slain, when as Artemisia, the Queen, stood it out, with valour; whence was the Proverb of that time; The men were in that battle women, and the women, men; And did not Zenobia show by fare more prowess in defending the Roman Empire, than Galienus? and how many of that sex, as Blandina and others, proved eximious martyrs in the primitive times? What should I 
g Vide Pet. Martyr. epist. ad Eliz. Regin. Angliae, p. 1124.  mention our own home- Deborah Q. Elizabeth of famous memory? in whom besides her sex, there was nothing woman like, or weak: as if (what Philosophy saith) the souls of these noble Creatures had followed the temperament of their bodies; which consist of a frame of 
* F. Res.  rarer rooms, of a more exact composition, than man's doth; and (if place be any privilege) we shall find theirs built in Paradise, when man's was made out of it: But yet the Scripture hath made her, if not inferior, yet subordinate to man; and styled her, The 
h 1 Pet. 3.7.  weaker Vessel; and therefore is the destruction of Sisera by a woman, here noted as an occasion to magnisi God's greater glory, in the weak means of Sisera's overthrow; suitably unto that of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 1 27. God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; Note the comparison and admire the deliverance; Sisera, a dreadful Warrior; Jael, a feeble woman; Sisera, with 900. Chariots of iron, Jael, with a nail only, and a work man's hammer, Jud. 5.26. Yet at the feet of so impotent a female he bowed, even Sisera (that great terror of Israel) fell, he lay down, at her feet he bowed, he fell, where he bowed, there he fell down dead: O 
i Isa 45.8.  drop down righteousness ye heavens, and let the earth be astonished at this! And (O my God) how easily can the Lord Christ. (as Sampson with the 
k Jud. 15.16.  jawbone of an Ass slew heaps upon heaps, even a thousand Philistines at a clap) with the very 
l 2 Thess. 2.8.  spirit of his mouth, and with the breath of his nostrils (so easily, so with no labour) consume the very man of fin himself, and dung his Vineyard with the dead carcase of that wild 
m Psal. 80.13.  Boar of the forest, Antichrist himself! God can as easily blast an Oak, as trample a mushroom.  
2. So, that is, by flight, Judg. 4.17. most shamefully and with dishonour; In all God's 
n Eph. 6.11 etc.  armoury, there is no armour for the back; but see here this daring Champion betakes him to his heels and flies; yea, all his mighty host seem to have been called thither, only to be overthrown; for not a stroke was given, that we can discover of his side; Thus therefore for proud Sisera to be cowed out, and dastardly to turn his back upon the weak army of the Israelites; So, to perish, was to lay his 
o Psal. 7.5.  honour in the dust.  
3. So, to wit, by a nail, and by an ordinary workman's hammer; Note here the law of Retaliation from the Lord; He who had so much vaunted of his iron Chariots, is now slain by one mail of iron; thus, Judg. 1.7. Adonibezek is paid home, as it were, in his own Coin, and met with in the very same kind, even in his Thumbs and Toes, which were cut off, as he had done before to threescore and ten Kings: which observation forced him, to confess God's justice upon him, As I have done, saith be, So God hath requited me: So the Wiseman, Wised. 11.16. Wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished: I could cloy you with examples; Appion scoffing at Religion, and chiefly at cicumcision, had an Ulcer the same time and place, as Josephus reporteth: the story of Haman trussed up to his 
p Est. 7.10.  own gallows is known: Abimelech, who flew seventy of his Brethren upon a stone, Jud. 9.5. hath his brainpan broken by the piece of a millstone, ver. 53. Because rebellious Saul [cast away] the word of the Lord, therefore, the Lord [cast him away] from being King, 1 Sam. 15.23. As Agag his sword made women childless, so shall his mother be childeles among other Women, 1 Sam. 15.33. Abner having slain Asaael under the fift rib, 2 Sam. 2.23. was himself likewise smitten under the fift rib, by Joab and slain, 2 Sam. 3.27. The Jews, who sold Christ Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, (a 
q Zech. 11.13.  goodly price) had afterwards thirty of their own heads sold for one piece of silver; as 
r Justè postea 30. capita suorum viderunt vendi uno denario ad illudendum. Hegesippus, de excidio Jerusal. p. 680.  Hegisippus acquaints us: Et delator habet, quod dabat, exilium, saith 
s Martial. l. 1. Ep. 4.  Martial; In short, See Psal. ●4. 21, 22, 23. They gather themselves together, saith David, against the soul of the Righteous and condemn the Innocent blood, but God, (the rock of our refuge) shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off; Thus the Jewish Rabbins had a conceit, that therefore King David, in his old age, failed of 
t 1 King. 11.  warmth from his own ; because he had formerly cut off the lap of 
u 1 Sam. 24.4.  saul's garment, being the Lords Anointed: Thus, as one observes, the Lord Hastings was beheaded at London, that very self same day twelvemonth, yea, the same hour; and if curiosity may go farther, the same minute, wherein he had conspired the death of the Queen's Children at Pomfret Castle: Why waste I breath in this endless course of examples? we find, that divers of the greatest account, of 
* B●. Carleton relation of the deliverances of England.  this day's conspiracy in the County of Warwick (whither they fled for shelter) were as 
x Florus, hist. l. 1.  Florus writeth of the old Fidenates, cremati [suo] igne, maimed and scorched in their faces, hands, sides, and other parts by Gunpowder; the same instrument of death, that they had prepared for the Head, and for the whole representative Body of this Kingdom: even as Sisera, in this story we now treat of, was met with in a part of that iron, in the strength of which he had so much vaunted himself. Neque enim lex justior ulla est, Quam necis artifices arte perire suâ.  
Lastly, So; that is, whilst he was fast asleep Ju. 4.21. even in the height of his most reposed rest, and security; for even in the very midst of tumult, & the very jaws of death, this carnal heathen found a time to sleep; Quem Deus perdere vult, stultum facit; whom God intendeth to destroy, he first infatuates; when Sodom was to be destroyed, the men of the City were (some of them) smitten with blindness; so that they could not foresee their own now most imminent ruin; compare Judg. 18.27. And (not to be tedious) the infernal traitors of this day, 
y Gen. 19.11.  as Dr. Carleton relates it, were securely sitting and warming themselves by a fire; (even as wicked Jehoiakim, Jer. 36.22. when the very threaten of the Law of God were against him, sat before the fire, without fear) when a sparkle of that same fire flew out, and lighting upon some two pound weight of powder that lay nigh them, miserably deformed and spoiled them, near the place of their surprisal.  
And it is a most irrevocable truth, my beloved Christians, that the Lord never suffereth his Enemies to go 
z Ho tene, nec crimen quenquam in pectore gestare, qui non idem Nemesin in tergo. Lipsius, l. 2. c. 13. deConstant.  unrevenged one way, or by some means, or other; sometimes he takes them off in the very beginning of their lewd projects, and crusheth the Cockatrice in he Egg; sometimes in the very 
a In Scelere sceleris supplicium est, & ●●aetanea sceleripoena, etc. vid. Duplessis, c. 12. de verit relig. Christ. p. 198 etc. vol. 8.  act, as Absalon, Belshazzar, Herod; sometimes the punishment, as thunder doth lightning, followeth instantly upon the very heels of their sin; as upon 
b Act. 5.5, 10.  Ananta; and Sapphira; and sometimes, not till a long time after; as upon that old Judge, who was with his age, waxed old also in wickedness; which was at last brought to light, ver. 52. of the History of Susanna; see to the same purpose, 
c Luk. 11.50.  Matth. 23.35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith 
d Plato de repub.  Plato; In sum, cannot God blast the corn in the blade, in the harvest, in the Barn, in the very mouths of the wicked? But if they be treasonable attempts against the Lords Anointed; if 
e 2 Sam. 18.9.  Absolom, 
f 2 Sam. 17 23;  Achitophel, (who proved their own executioners) 
g 2 King. 9.31.  Zimri, the 
h 2 Chron. 35.25.  servants of Ammon, and the rest of the same rabble; if any of these prospered, then may a like Traitor hope for immunity from vengeance; yea, what 
i Sueton. lib. 1. sect. 89.  Saeton reporteth of such as stabbed King Julius Cesar, is generally true of all such; Nequisquam [suâ] morte defunctus est, No one of them died a natural death, or went down to his grave in 
k 1 King. 2.6.9.  Peace: And the reason, why a [
l Gen. 4.15.  sevenfold] vengeance was threatened more upon him, that should kill Cain, then was upon Cain himself, though a bloody Fratricide; is given by some to be this, viz. because Cain was a Prince, and being eldest Son to Adam, was Heir apparent to the Crown of the whole world: Our own stories and experience may convince us herein, How 
m Psal. 105.15.  tender the Lord is of Royal dignity; how much he thinketh his 
n Zech. 2.8.  own Majesty interested, in the injuries attempted, or done to his Vice gerents and such as carry semblance of his authority upon earth; the vengeances have been, sundry of them, fearful even to astonishment; Wherefore, God's charge is so peremptory, Psal. 105.15. Touch not mine anointed, that is, Tactu qualitativo, with the least intention of annoyance; and as David said to Abishai, who would have smitten Saul (a 
o Hos. 13.11.  wicked King) 1 Sam. 26.9. Destroy him not; for, who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed, and be guilt less? I say, as Saint 
p S. Ambros. de Naboth Jezraelit. cap. 11.  Ambrose, when he closeth the story of Abab and Jezabels fearful end: Fuge ergò Dives bujusmodi exitum; sed fugies hujusmodi exitum, si fugeris hujusmodi flagitium; Let all men tremble at the fearful ends of wicked men, chiefly of traitors, for the brand of the King of Kings is set upon such; but such ends ye shall avoid, if ye carefully fly from such like abominations.  
Now to sum up the whole of this particular: [So] let all thine Enemies perish, that is, in the height of their vainglorious ostentation, by [weak] means; [So] that is, in so shameful a sort, as dastard [flying] before their pursuers: So, in being entrapped in their [own] snares and nets; and lastly, so, in the midst of their deadly security; when they are as insensible of ruin, as of sin: Even [so,] saith good Deborah here; So let all thine Enemies perish, O Lord.  
And thus have I gone over all the particulars of this my first general; and with them, I perceive, I have filled up the hour: But because, as St. Austin said of the feast of Pentecost, Gaudet [produci] haec solennitas; This solemnity would be extended, and (as the silkworm stretcheth forth herself, before she spins her finest threads) be drawnout to a length: I could even wish, with Joshua, that the Sun would 
q Josh. 10.12.  stand still awhile; that we might the longer rejoice in this our gladsome festival; which so much angreth our Romish Proselytes, and maketh them (because we will never have done with this day) to 
r Psal. 112.10.  gnash their teeth upon us, with meager envy: This, 
s Psal. 118.24.  This is the day, that the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad therein.  
And that we may the better do it; give me now leave, as Elisha sometimes did upon the Shunamites dead son, to 
t 2 King. 4.34.  stretch my Application upon each member of this Text; I may, perhaps, raise up your attentions to some new life and vigour; and show your, that this Scripture is as fit, and consonant to this day's occasion and solemnity; as was to Caesar's coin the 
u Matth. 22 20.  image of Caesar; Whether we consider the Enemies from whom; or the manner how, or the author of whom this our great deliverance came.  
And, as I remember, Saint Gregory Nanianzen prologues his first Steliteutique against Julian the Apostate; so will I, this my ensuing speech; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Let all the Nations of the earth give ear; let all ages both this present, and that to come, listen, yea remember, if not this speech, yet the hints of a seasonable discourse.  
For the first, the quality of our Enemies, the Papists, we cannot better see them, then in the fashions of those Heretics, the Antitactae of old; who held it Piety, to contradict the Laws of their Maker; and in stead of them, to introduce the sottish fopperies of their own frenzies: And if you are desirous to see a map of them drawn up ready to your hands; you may see it, in that [Serious dissuasive from Popery; and, in the old Religion,] which are extant among the precious Volumes of a glorious Light and Champion of our Church, our Reverend Diocesan; 
Bp. Hall.  (a Prelate of immortal memory; whom for his mortal opposition unto all Popish, rotten Doctrines, and Antichristian Superstitions; and for whose peerless devotion and sanctity, posterity shall admire with Honour: as now, I know, our neighbour Churches do, for one of the most accomplished Divines that ever great Britain yielded.)  
But, to show the quality of the Antichrist, our fatal Enemy of Rome, (for he that is not [with] us, is [
* Matth. 12.30. Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: an opposite to Christ, as if h● opposing should be not so much to his nature or person, as to his unction and Function. D. Sel p. 118 on 2 Thess.  against] us, saith our Saviour) I will represent the whole before you, under these two Heads. 

I. Doctrine.  
II. Manners.    
Upon which two, as the Heavens upon two Poles, all that can be said of that fallen Church doth move; In the unfolding of both which, it may appear perchance, what friends this Golden Pulpit (that I may take off the aspersion that is cast upon it, as I have been told of late; as being willing to burn some Incense and sweet odours, after an ill sent) hath afforded unto Popery, unto accursed, most damnable Popery.  
For the latter of these, their manners; I cannot better parallel, than with those Blains and Botches, that, Exod. 9.10. blistered both man and beast in Egypt, in the days of Moses; yea, as the 
* Isa. 1.6.  Prophet speaks, from the sole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises, and putrifying sores: By Stapletons' own confession, (the Devil sometimes confesseth Christ, and speaketh truth) there can scarcely 
x Vix ullum peccatum, (solâ haeresi exceptâ) cogitari potest, quo illa sedes turpitèr maculata non fuerit, maxim ab anno. 800. etc. Sta pleton. relect. controv 1. q. 5. Art. 3.  any sin be thought upon, (only Heresy excepted) which that Sea of Rome hath not been spotted with; chiefly, since the year, 800. Nor need they, I wis, except Heresy; for Biel and Almain confess the Popes to have been foully plunged in it: witness those prodigies, who 
y Vid. Platin. in vitis Rom. pont.  denied the immortality of the soul, professed Necromancy, etc. [thirty] errors acknowledged by Onuphrius their own Chronologer; and indeed, saith a Reverend 
z Ep. Davenant. qu. est. 41. p. 185. Edit. 1634. Cantabr. Ecclesia Romana ex quo semel erravit, cogitur aeternum in suis eroribus per severare, etc.  Bishop of our own Church; Rome hath deservedly rued this punishment of all her errors; (sigh she hath boasted herself of an incompossibility of them, to consist with her) that since first she did err, she is permitted justly to persevere in damnable errors: In sum, If such odious Doctrines (whereof anon) have been delivered by her, when she saith, she cannot err; Good God what would she do, if she could err. To be short; 
* Sleidan. Comment, l. 1. p. 7.  Sleidan hath Epitomised the whole thus; Omnium locorum totius orbis terrarum faedissima sentina, & in exhausta quaedam colluvies; It's indeed, the very sink and drain of all impurity; which 
a Salvian l. 7. de Gubern. Dei.  Salvian and 
b Nicholas de Clemangis, de corrup to ecclesiae statu.  Nicholas de Clemangis have copiously exemplified: yea, her own stories, Acts and Monuments do convince her to be a 
c D. Raynolds, p. 608. in Preface to six conclus. against Hart. out of Platin. Onuph. Sabellic. Guicciardin. Thedoric à Niem Abbas Vrsperg. etc. Bapt. Mantuan. eclog. 9.5. Ste a Catalogue. of her corruptions, in conclus. s. p. 662, 663. D. Raynold. ibid.  nurse of wars, a parent of unfaithfulness, a spoiler of the brethren, a worshipper of Idols, a seat of covetousness, a Lady of pride, a cherisher and inflamer of Lusts, of outrages, of abominations, whose old [fame] continueth, but whose [goodness] is gone; Hence that Distich of the Traveller, 
Roma vale, vidi; satis est vidisse; revertar,  
Cum leno, aut meretrix, scurra, cynaedus ero.   
And is it not now meet, think you, that we should be whistled back to the lure of that stews and strumpet? which thus pretendeth to be the Physician, to cure the Church, when as indeed, she is the very disease of it? yea rather, my dear brethren, Come out from amon● them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, 2 Cor. 6.7. believe it, there may be less danger in a Pest-house, than in such familiarity: therefore Saint 
d Rev. 18.4.  Joh. is also importunate from a voice heard from Heaven; Come out of her my people, that ye be not partaker o● Babylon's sins, that so ye receive not of her Plagues: We are sure, St. Peter himself, (whose infallibility, chief seated in the [Chair] of Pestilence, his pretended successor at Rome, doth so much crack of) persuaded unto another Practice, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. Be ye [Holy] in all manner of Conversation: The truth is, He resembles Peter in nothing, but in the 
e Matth. 26.70.  deny all of his Master; I should cloy you with a larger mention of their reaking obscenities.  
Come we next to Doctrine; and here I am in so overgrown a garden of weeds; that it is hard to crop almost one flower, which resents not rankly; But, that I may abridge the larger Volumes, under a few heads, I will make the principal of them, (with which they have toolong inserted the Church of God) run, in some sort, parallel; with the cliefe of those passages and judgements, which the Lord, of old, shown before, and inflicted upon Pharaoh in Egypt; And indeed, I think them herein, better capable of a parallel, than (under savour) some others, happily other ways; namely, with the (though toomuch to be lamented) blemishes of our own Church; I profess, I am not of a disposition, delighting to lay open the shame of my dear Parent; because I should then fear the 
f Gen. 9.25.  Curse of Cham; I know, such immodest detections are too apt to occasion the 
g Psal. 79.4.  derision and the scorn of Enemies: It is too true, (I acknowledge, and 
h [Pudet] haec opprobria nobis, & dici potuisse, & non potuisse refelli.  blush in the relation) among the very sons of Eli the Priest, there might perhaps be found some foully degenerous sons of 
i 1 Sam. 2.12.  Belial; whose exorbitancies, reflexively, occasioned the very 
k Ver. 17. ibid.  Sacrifices to be abhorred by the Vulgar; among the Apostles themselves, there was a Judas, who was so wicked, that our Saviour styles him no other than a Devil, Jo. 6.70. But there are also (and I hope & doubt not, the greater part) whose dross is more purged, and whose silver more 
* Prov. 25.4.  refined; Glorious Lamps blazing both in Life and Doctrine, to the honour and renown of this famous Church of England: One spark of a Diamond may be worth whole piles of Marble, and the beauty of such eximious Worthies, outvie the duskishness of a few false lights; however, I should rather choose with that pious 
l Theodoret hist. lib. 1. c. 11. & Socrat. lib. 1. c. 8. & carranza in Concilii Niceni apparatu.  Constantine to [seal] up the unhappy distempers of the Church, with a signet of silence, and to imitate the good Samaritan, in 
m Luk. 10.34.  binding up the sores of my Mother-Church, then to blazon her sears, (too much, alas! known already, to the bellowing, and unsanctified 
n 2 Sam. 16.5.  Shimeiss of accursed Antichrist) to her shame or obloquy; He I believe, who loves with Shem, to 
o Gen. 9.23.  cover up the uncomely nakedness of his (chief) spiritual Parent, may not without hopes, expect his heavenly Father's blessing; Though, on the other side, if there be found out any achan's, who have 
p Josh. 7.25.  troubled our Israel, if they be convinced, let them be brought forth, and let every one cast a stone at them; that 
q Psal. 85.9.  glory may still dwell in our Land; But for the Lamps of the Tabernacle, that burn but [dimly,] the [Snuffers] of a seasonable Reformation, instead of [Extinguishers] shall suffice, Exod. 37.23.  
But I come to my Parallel; and here not to stand long upon the brick-kilns of Egypt; to which I might compare the Romishz Purgatory, 
r Concil. Trident. sess. 25. p. 224. vol. 8. & Catechism. ad Paroch. sub Pio 5.  (but that it is but merely an Ignis fatuus) chiefly the 
s See B. Morton p. 85, 86. sect. 2, 3. c. 5. Grand. Impost. ex Agrippa. de vanit. scient.  Inquisition, (that cruel rack, not more of bodies then of Souls:) The first sign shown before Pharaoh, was the casting of Aaron's Rod upon the ground, so that it became a Serpent, Exod. 7.10. What was this Rod a Type of, but of that [true] would of the Cross of Christ? as 
t Macarius, Homil 47. p. 523 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Confer. Pet. Galatin. lib. 6. c. 15. De Arcanis Catholicae verit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar.  Macarius acquaints us; which Cross of Christ, whilst they teach to be adored and cringed unto, and worshipped, whether in Timber or otherwise, (and delude so many millions of souls with the narration of the saving virtue of the very splinters of it, sent abroad to their simple and abused Proselytes,) instead of informing them, how the Cross of Christ should not in shadow, but in Truth, be taken up, by suffering affliction with Christ; What are these but Idolaters? direct Enemies, even Enemies of the true use of the Cross of Christ? Phil. 3.18. So as that, which to the poor deluded souls among them, should be as a [staff] to support them; is like to that of Aaron, turned (by the Magical enchantments of those Romish, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Antichristian Impostors) into a [Serpent] to sting them even unto death.  
Secondly, to the Lice and swarms of Flies, Exod. 8. 1●.24. what may better be resembled, than that corrupt Doctrine of 
u 1 Tim. 4.2.  lies, which they forge and speak in hypocrisy; bred out of the putrid matter of their own ntoxicated heads; putrifying (as the 
* Eccles. 10.1.  Dead fly doth the box of sweet Ointment) the clear and living Doctrine of Salvation? Thus, by what they teach of nature's power to move itself, (of its self) to Heaven; what of 
x Concil. Trid. sess. 6. can. 4, 5, 6.  ; of works 
y 〈…〉. sess. 6. c. 16.  meritorious, of works of Supererogation, 
z Bellar. & Rhemist. ad Luc. 10.35.  and more than duty; what of 
a Conc. tried. sess. 22. c. 3 & sess. 25. p. 225.  Invocation of Saints, 
b Ibid sess. 25. p. 225.  prayer for the dead, of final Apostasy, and the rest of that Doctrine of Devils, crammed in together in their Trent Conventicle, and sealed up with an Anathema, in eve-Canon; They [Vermine-like] endeavour most nastily to pester the truth of 
c Rom. 3.24. & Art. ●1. of our Church.  free Justification by Faith only; of nature's 
d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Calv. Instit. lib. 2. c. 5. sect 13. in fine Joh. 15.5. & art. 10. of our Church.  nothingness; of 
e Jer. 32.40. 1 Cor. 1.8. & art. 16. of our Chur.  Final perseverance, (the main prop of a Christian in temptation) and the rest of that 
f 1 Tim. 6.3. Tit. 2.7, 8.  wholesome Doctrine of life; summed into the Articles of our own Church, (which we have all, or most, [protested] to maintain, lately) but chiefly, contained in the 
g Isa. 12.3.  wells themselves of salvation, the Holy Scriptures.  
And by the Flies, I may w●ll resemble th●se tales, and Legends, and lies, touching the virtue of Beads, and Medals and 
h Conc. tried. sess. 25. p. 225, 226, 227.  Relics, and Roses, and Cross, and Agnus Dei, and innumerable baubles of like nature; together with other Trumpery and Trash, fit for Children to sport with, in a winter's night, than for me to mention in this grave assembly; What was that other than a base Lie, which 
i Kellison in survey of the new Relic lib. 1. ca 1. sect. 18 & l 2. c. 5 sect. 6. ib. Idem ferè, ac si familiaritatem cum Diabolo ipso iniisset, dic t. Serarius Jes. tract. de Lutheri Magistro.  Kellison leaves under his scabbed pen, of Luther, (the 
k Si Luthero faverem, it viro [bona,] quod fatentur & hosts, (exactissimum approbandigenus) Deut. 32. Erasm. tom. 8. Ep. Albert. Card. Mogunt. pag. 401  worthy, and stout instrument of the Church her Reformation) that the Devil was an Incubus to his Mother, or: succubus to his Father, and (as Cochlaeus seconds him) d●ed 
l Cochlaeus, in vita Lutheri.  suddenly a violent and shameful death? when●e saith Costerus the Jesuit, If any Lutheran be saved, Tum veldamner ipse, Then, (see his charity) let me be damned! O. the same bran is that of Calvin, that he died, as Antiochus and Herod, (after he had first 
m Bolsecus, in vitâ Calvini.  called upon the Devils) being eaten up of 
n Bellarm. lib. 4. de Notis ecclesiae ca 17.  worms: But as all the skill of the Magicians in Egypt, Exod. 8.18. failed in the [
o Magorum potesta● defecit in [muscis] S. August. l. 3. c. 7. de trin.  least] wonder, the Flies; so, in these gross lies, our Romanists have been made to yield, even by some of them, who (as Beza and others) have survived to read, and smile at the relation of the manner of their own false Deaths.  
I hasten; to the destroying of their [firstborn,] Exod. 11.5. may be justly resembled their desperate, and disconsolate Doctrine, concerning Infants, dying without 
p Conc. tried. sess. 7. Can. de Baptis. & Bellarm. lib. de Baptis. etc.  Baptism; the opus operatum, the work done whereof, if they partake not, they enjoin their Clerks, as Pharaoh did the Midwives of the Hebrew women, to 
q Exod. 1.16.  destroy and damn them unto Hell; directly against the promise of God, made to the righteous [seed] in the Covenant, Act. 2.39. But, chief, the infants of 
* The pretended inconven. see in Hist. of trent. Concil. p. 460.  
* Concil. tried. sess. 24. Can. 9 & sess 25. c. 1. à Papa Syricio orimo decretum est hoc votum, & per vim, & tyrannidem, reclamantibus Episc. Italiae, German. Gall. ab Hildebrando insano confirmatum, Baron. an. 1974. sed vide refut. ab ep. Davenant. quaest. 42. qua supra p. 197, 198.  Married Priests; whom they enforce, beyond their power, against the Laws of God, and nature, to 
r Besides, Nuda carentia non damnat, sed contemptus.  Vow perpetual Continency and single life; allowing rather (in some cases) filthy Fornication, than God's honourable ordinance of holy and 
s Heb. 13.4.  undefiled Matrimony: Yea, if yet I may have leave, to wind up mine instrument a peg higher; the firstborn is, by Prerogative, dignor in populis, the more worthy and eminent above his Brethren; so Lyra expounds that Text, Exod. 4.22. Israel is my son, even my Firstborn; And then we may hereto parallel their doctrine of the supremacy, whereby they make the Sceptre to stoop unto the Mitre, and the King to bow unto the Pope; as, sometimes, the sheaves of joseph's brethren bowed to the sheaves of Joseph: Thus Hildebrand made the Diadem of the Emperor, to 
t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pope called Antichrist, because contrary not only Chirsto Domino, but also Christo Domini 2 Thess. 2.4. He exalts himself above all that is [called] God, that is, all Magistracy.  veil to his Chrosier; and that of 
u Platina in vitá Alex. 3. p. 206.  Frederik Barbarossa abused by that Beast, Alexander the third, is known; when (having first kissed his Toe) being trampled on by that impudent Antichrist, he had the words of the Psalm added; Thus will I tread upon the Basilisk and the Adder, Psal. 91.13. etc. vah Lucifer!  
I should great your ears toomuch by rehearsing, on this occasion, the arrogant 
* B. Mortongrand Impost. c. 13. sect 5. p. 251, 252. & Arch. usher lib. 9 sect 1, 2. & p. 255, 256 etc. de success. eccles. Christ. & Dr. Raynolds against Hart c 1. divis. 2. p. 17.19. also, Rogers, on Article 37. of the Chu. of England, p. 211. All taken out out of Ezonius, in lib. qui inseribitur, Romanus pontifex. Panormit. de transl. prael. cap. quart & Stapleton ep. Nuncupat. ad Grego. 13. Ante principal. doctrine. & ex multis aliis, à digniss. Mortono ibid. citatis, it. D. Sclater, on 2 Thess. c 2. v. 4. p. 124.  titles, where with this Chough, or Daw of Rome, as with several feathers, stolen from the Royal dignity of Monarches, hath plumed himself; yea, in which he hath prided himself, even unto Blasphemy; Thus Pope Innocent the eight was styled, by his Parasites, in Royalty and Unction, [Christ] above his fellows; an attribute proper unto Jesus Christ himself; Heb. 1.9. And more yet, of the same Beast; He is called One, above all Principalities and powers, and whatsoever is named in this, or in the other world; plainly also proper to Christ, Eph. 1.21. Pope Gregory the thirteenth (stop your ears) called power, might, or majesty of God upon earth; and again, Our Lord 
* Se non solum Deum, sed etiam solum se Deum esse dicit. lib. 3. Bell. cap 14 De Pont. Rom.  God the Pope: We pretermit many the like hideous blasphemies of that triple-crowned Lucifer.  
To proceed to the judgement of Locusts Exod. 10.12, or, as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 105.34. of Caterpillars [innumerable,] I may parallel their innumerable orders of Monks and Friars, as Augustans, Dominicans, Franciscans, Capuchins, and of late, their Nullani, and the rest of the like rabble without number and without regard: But the Monster of all Monsters, is the prodigious brood of [Jesuits] a mongrel Gregation; For as it is noted of the Mule, (that ulcer in nature) that out of the filthy commixture of the stallion, and the she ass, is generated that mongrel calle● the Mule; in like sort, out of the corruption of a Leprous Papist and something worse (if worse may be) is brought forth this unlucky brood of the Jesuits, who after the guise of the Papa●●ns, that put names (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon their Popes, directly crossing their natures; as if he be a Snowt face, they style him B●niface; if a tyrant, Caemens; on the other side, if mecker than ordinary, (which is very rare) they call him Leo, etc. Notorious hypocrites, that will never seem as they are, nor be as they seem! So these carry in their names, [ISSUS] a Saviour; but in their H●arts, like to the 
x Apoc. 9 11.  King of the Locusts, (whose 
y Vide Episc. Andrews, p. 53, 54. in contion. latin. in Psal 144.10. inter opera posthuma.  resemblance they carry) Abaddin, and Apallyon: 
z Serarius, lib. 1. c 2 qu. 19 in Josh.  Serarius vainly will needs serive the name from the old Testament, Num. 26.24. Jesuits quasi Jashubits; like as Erasmus found Friars in St. Paul's time, inter falsos fratres, among the false Brethren: among much change of houses, they have 
a See 〈◊〉. Hall in his Q●●ò vadis? sect 15 & 19, 20, 21, 24. item cundem, decade. 5. epist. 1. & serm. styled Pharisaisme, & Christianity, versus Finem, & Du Moulin, de fence of King James, c 4.  two famous, for the accordance of their Names; one called the Bow, at Nola, the other, the Arrow, (l. Flesh) in France: though this latter were more worthy of the name of a whole quiver, containing not fewer, than 800. shafts of all sizes: Their Apostate Ferrier played upon them in this Distich; 

Arcum Nola dedit, dedit illis alma sagittam  
Gallia: quis funem, quem meruere, dabit?  
Nola the bow, and France the shaft did bring:  
But who shall help them to an hempen string.    
Of their [
b Ephes. 4.14.  cunning craftiness] to deceive by their wicked equivocations, mental reservations, etc. and their [
c 2 Tim. 3.6.  creeping] into the houses and society of silly people, under the pretence of devotions, (as of old, the 
d Matth. 23.14.  Pharisees) swallowing up the Patrimonies of deluded weak ones; and because of their cunning, therefore the more [
e Facilior cauti● est, ubi manifestior formido est. Plus metuendus est, & cavendus inimicus, cum latenter obrepit, cum per pacis imaginem fallens occultis accessibus serpit, unde & nomen serpentis accepit, etc. S. Cyprian. lib. de Vnitat. eccles. sect. 1.2.  dangerous;] What page of the faithful relatour of their practi●es, shows not? They have like those locusts of the bottomless pit, the 
f Rev. 9.7, 8.  faces of men, and the hair of women, pleasing and alluring; but the very teeth of Lions, and the stinging tails of scorpions: If a learned man encounter them, their words are smother than oil; and the fair pretence of being soon accorded in matter, if once the Terms of expression might be reconciled: But, if they meet with the feebler sex, or the 
* Vide P. Martyr epist. Calvin. p. 1124. qua supra.  less grounded Christian, their words will eat, as doth a 
g 2 Tim. 2.17.  Canker, or Gangrene, 
h 2 Pet. 2.14.  beguiling unstable Souls to their utter undoing: like unto King David's 
i Psal. 144.8.  strange Children, their mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: Oh for but one wind, of the God of 
k Exod. 20.5.  jealousy, to blow off these crawling Caterpillars and Frogs, that have too long kept croaking in the very Chambers of Princes, even into some dead Sea, never to flow more, for their return! Awake O 
l Cant. 4.16.  North wind; and come o South, and blow upon our garden, that the spices of repurged Religion may flow; after these weeds, these limbs of Antichrist be universally eradicated, and plucked up by the very Roots. In the mean while, let us take up that of dying Jacob toward his two Sons Simeon and Levi, O my soul, come 
m Gen. 49.5, 6, 7.  not thou into their secret, unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united.  
The next judgement that I shall mention in Egypt is, their black and palpable darkness, Exod. 10.21. And doth not their Doctrine of 
n Thom. 2a. 2ae. qu. Art. 5, 6, etc. S●d nihil aliud est, quam Diabolica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Beza, ad 1 Rom. ver. 17. refuted by Archbp. usher, c. 6. sect. 8, 9 p. 150. de successione eccls. & by Bp. Daven. qu. 29 qua supra. & Calv. Inst. l. 3. c. 2. sect. 2, 3.  Implicit Faith, of Divine Service, in an 
o Conc. Trid. sess. 22. c. 8 & Test. Rhem. Annot. p. 463. & Matth. 21 6. The pretended inconvenience see in hist. of the Trent. Counc. l. 5. p. 460. But contrary to S. Paul. 1 Cor. 14.6.9.14. & Art. 24. of our Church.  unknown, known, etc. resemble this? To which is added, the denying of the use of the holy Scriptures to the Laity; lest pearls (forsooth) should be cast before Swine, and holy things to Dogs: By which practice, they deal like to the Philistines, 1 Sam. 13.19. who put down all smiths in Israel, lest the Hebrews should make themselves swords and spears, or as that Bungler, in Plutarch, who having with his coal scraped out the figure of an Hen, in a most ill-favoured and misshapen sort; was forced to keep one standing by, to drive away all living ones, lest they should shame his draught: in like sort, they keep off the Vulgar from the searching of the Scriptures; lest they with the Bereans, searching 
p Act. 17.11.  and 
q 1 Thess. 5.21.  proving their Traditions, and vain inventions, by this touchstone; should not only have them all deserted with scorn; but themselves, (the imposers) derided, for their blockish fancies, yea abhorred, [probably] or 
r Matth. 23.13.  shutting of their poor souls up, under such black ignorance; more palpable and more dangerous, than that darkness of Egypt, that might be 
s Exod. 10.21.  felt.  
To the judgement of Lightning and Hail, Exod. 9.23, 24. I parallel the innumerable Excommunications and anathemas, that from the mount 
t Deut. 11.29.  Ebal of their Trent Conventicle, even with Bell, Book and Candle, they send forth flashing in the faces even of Kings and Princes themselves, who may perchance refuse the good Ostlership of his Holiness 
u Vid. D. Scl. ad 2 Thess.  stirrup: or a buss forsooth, of his greasy Toe. Vah Lucifer!  
But lastly, to that of 
* Exod. 7 19  blood and 
x Exod. 9.23.  Thunder, (for I will now join these two together) what is more like, than that accursed doctrine of theirs, teaching the 
y Vide Archb. Usher exampling this & refuting it zealousty, in serm. upon 1 Cor. 10.17. p. 44, 45, 46, 47, etc. Before the Commons House of Parliament.  murdering of Prince and people: nor are their tongues longer than their hands; witness the Records of the infinite Golgatho's and Acheldama's, that the Tyranny of that man of sin hath caused in the Christian world; making the channels of whole streets to run in the colour of the red Sea; or as the purple waters of 
z Isa. 15.9.  Dimon, streaming all with blood; Lo, even Kings have been seen to wallow in their gore-blood, shed by their desperate Assafines: 
a See D. Rayn. p. 664. conclus 5. against Hart. Ignat. Loyola Fundat or Jesuit Chemnit. in exam. Conc. Trid. initio, de iis item scripsit Maffeius  rebellions, seditions and combustions, in all Christian Kingdoms have been raised by the fiery spirits of the disloyal ᵇ Ignatians.  
That cruel Phlebotomy in the massacre of France is not to be 
c Nullu [simile,] saevitiae exemplum in tota Antiquitate reperire, circiter sexagint a millia hominum circa illud tempus trucidata, etc. Natalis Comes.  paralleled, by any example, in all antiquity of former times; when there were about sixty thousand slain, and yet that Romish horseleech still cried out, Give, give, and was not satisfied: And God be pleased to chain up that wild 
d Psal. 80.13.  boar, from having power to rage in the like nature, (even now) among our distressed brethren in Ireland; where (as we are informed eradications against the State, Laws, King doom, Religion itself, are endeavoured, by conspiracies, Rebellions, and all hostile Machinations: May the God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of 
e 2 Cor. 1.3.  mercies and the God of all comfort, 
f Job. 5.12.  disappoint the devices, 
g Isa 37.27.  blast the projects, and nullify the power of the enemy; or give the oppressed 
h Heb. 10.36.  patience, and 
i 1 Chron. 28.7.  constancy, to bear up under that 
k 1 Pet. 4.12.  fiery trial, of which they are in danger; Arise O Lord, make bare their own arm, Isa. 52.10. break thou the spear, and stop up the way before the cruel, Psal. 46.9. & Psal. 35.3.  
To conclude; to the judgement of thunder, I will liken the 
* Flectere sinequeo superos, Acheronta movebo, Virgil.  Acheronticall Powder-plot, as upon this day; when in thirty six barrels of powder, there was a great brewing of death, tunned up, for the destruction of the three Estates of this whole Kingdom: an example beyond all examples of ages past; and for the heinousness thereof, hardly credible, in the generation to come; For now, by a crack or hellish thunder were King, and Prince, and Peers, and the whole representative Body of the Commons expected (to use the Prophet's expression, Isa. 9.18.) to mount up like the lifting up of smoke; in which there could be imagined no mercy; unless so total and so big a destruction had in the [suddenness] the reof, found a kind of mercy.  
I read in the 
l Florus l. 2. c. 6.  Roman story of a great massacre of the Roman Nobility at Canna (but an obscure village of Apulia) to the groaning of the State, for so fatal a loss; but this was in open hostility, young Hannibal no way brooking an opposition: Our 
m Verslegan, c. 5. p. 130. out of William of Malmbsbury.  own Chronicles likewise mention an overthrow of three hundred of the British Nobility slain at once upon Salisbury plains, by the treacherous devise of the Saxons, whose King Hengistus coming without thoughts of Peace (though he pretended it) to meet Vortiger, King of the Britain's at the same time, and giving them their watchword, which was this, [Nem eowr seaxes] take you Seaxes, (a kind of crocked Knife, from which some think, the Saxons took their name) at the banquet there appointed, slew the Nobility and imprisoned their King; But this was likewise, in the times of Civil discords and intestine Wars.  
But for miscreants, in the time of peace, to make themselves ready for war, and to pile up a whole Kingdom into one corner, as one faggot to be consumed in one flame at once! Oh treason unheard of! Oh act imparalleled; Oh Lucifer out-deviled! surely, as the 
n Florus, l. 2. c. 4.  Historian saith, of the Gauls of Insubria under the Alps; Animi illis [ferarum] erant, their 
o Psal 5 6.  inward parts were very violent and fierce, as the wild beasts of the forest; or as 
p Maginns, Ceograph indescrip. Galliae.  Maginus, of the Gaviss in general, [Ignea] illis men's; Their mind and heart like to the mountain Aetna, boiled with the [fire] of malice, as if it had feamed out flakes of Hell, ere they came into it: And well may we here resume that, which was said of Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.5, 6, 7. these Romish Impostors are brethren in iniquity; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations; in their anger they slew a man, cursed be their anger, for it was cruel; Divide them O Lord, divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel; or rather [out] of our Israel; Oh that the Lord would remove, but even this one Plague from us!  
And thus have I made an end of my parallel, between the Egyptian judgements, and the Impostures of Papistry: By all which laid together, we may cauly discover, what a [plaguy] Religion that of Popery is; or rather indeed, that their faith is nought but faction, nor their Religion but Rebellion, and murdering of Kings, etc. If any man than longs within himself to get a Souls infection; let him but join issue with these doctrines and practices; he shall be sure to be sped; even as surely as those ships, that pretended to sail to Ophir for gold, were split in sunder, 
q 1 King 22 48.  at Ezion-Geber, and miscarried.  
And thus fare of the Enemies, from whose deadly conspiracy we were freed, this day.  
The next head of our application, was the manner of our deliverance, How; to which we may join the time, When, also it was: And the story or relation thereof showeth us it to have been in the very height of danger, and by a very weak and improbable means: the danger was, at the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and perfection; so that from a match ready fired, we received a matchless deliverance: Cum [duplicantur] lateres, venit Moses, is the Hebrew Proverb, God sent not a deliverer to Israel in Egypt, till their bricks were [doubled:] man's extremity, is God's opportunity; when the time of trouble is most [needful,] then especially, is the Lord a very [
r Psal. 46.1.  present] help; even as he was upon this day, when there wanted nothing, but the very act of execution, to our certain ruin; Nor had God's glory been so much magnified, had not the danger been so fare heightened.  
And for the [manner] of it; it was only by the delivery of a 
* By. Carleton.  Letter, written in a dark expression; and delivered with not over much care or regard, by a Page or Lackey, crossing the street, to the Lord Monteagle: Which letter being presented to that Prince, who had more than an eagle's perspicacity, (yea, though perched on a mount) to spy out the treason; the Lord (to give that King the honour of so strange a discovery, though he could have done it by other means) now laid it open, by his wise conjectures; So are the wicked 
s 2 Sam. 15.31. & 17.14. & Rom. 1.22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  befooled, often, in the ripeness of their deepest projects; and defeated in the maturity of their proudest and their vastest hopes: For as the Barbarians seeing a Viper actually fastened upon Saint Paul's hand, expected each moment, his 
t Act. 28.6. Ver. 5.  falling down dead, even suddenly; yet he only with one shaking of his hand, disappointed their thoughts; even so easily can, yea did that God, (
u Act. 27.23.  whose we are, and whom we serve) blast the hopes of this days most infernal and diabolical Treason.  
And lastly, for the [author] of the deliverance: we must needs take up that of the Psalmist and say, Psal. 124.1, 2, etc. If it had not been the [Lord] who was on our side, now may Israel, yea England, say; if if it had not been the [Lord] who was on our side, when men risen up against us; Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us; But lo! great deliverance he hath given unto his King, and hath shown mercy to his Anointed, unto our David, and unto his seed for evermore, Psal. 18.50. Behold, our soul is escaped as a bird out of a 
* Psal. 124.6, 7.  snare of the fowlers, the snare is broken and we are escaped; and blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth: O sing 
* Psal 47.6, 7.  praises unto our God, sing praises, sing praises unto our King, sing praises: for God is the King of all the Earth, sing ye praises with understanding: See also, Psal. 118.24, 27, 8, 29. Psal. 100LS. 8, 15, 21, 31.  
Beloved Christians, leam say to you, on this occasion, as Moses sometime unto Israel, Deut. 29.10, 11, etc. Ye sland this day, all of you before the Lord your God, your little ones, your wives, and whatsoever is nearest or dearest unto you; as yet your 
y Psal. 144.12, 13, 14, 15.  Sons grow up in their youth, and your daughters are as the polished corners of the Temple; your garners are full, affording all manner of store, your sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in your streets; your Oxen are strong to labour, there is no breaking in, nor going out, nor is there any complaining in your streets: happy is that people, that is in such a case; yea happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.  
But now, do but feign a little to yourselves; if the Lord had not beenon our side, but had delivered us all over to the merciless cruelty of the Enemy; and suffered us to lie down under the bondage and slavery of Antichrist: Then, instead of this blessed liberty of the Gospel, and of the pure worship of God, and of those happy opportunities we now (under so godly and Peerless a Prince) enjoy; we might have been plundered in gross Superstition and Idolatry; have been worshippin, of Images, cringing to Crosses, adoring of Crucifixes, blattering to a Saint, rumbling of our Beads, wand'ring in some Pilgrimage; all overrun with the rank weeds of 
z Col. 2.23.  wil-wership, angering our God of jealousy, and irritating the just wrath of Heaven: or else all dragged unto racks, or stakes, or dungeons, to fire, and faggot, or other exquisite tortures; the proper badges of that Romish Antichrist, that man of sin; whereas that true Religion and Wifedome, that is from above, is first pure, then [
a Jam. 3.17.  Peaceable;] so fare from bloodiness, as it is from Popery.  
But thanks be unto the Lord for his 
b 2 Cor. 9.15.  unspeakable Gift: He hath rescued us from the 
c Col. 1.13.  power of a [more] than Egyptian (because a spiritual) darkness: yea more than so, he hath broken the 
d Psal. 13.7.  teeth of that 
e 2 Thess 2.3.  Son of perdition himself, and 
f Jud. 6.  chained up his power: And as we have found out the beginning of his rise; so we hope to see the end of his final downfall. About the year 
g , Apol p. 29 vol. 16.  six hundred and thirteen, shortly after the death of Saint Gregory (the great indeed, but humble Bishop) who endeavoured to quell the 
h Vide Bullinger. ad Apoc. 9  insolency of John the Prelate of Constantinople, for aspiring to the title, Of 
i See Epist. of S. Gregory the great to Mauricius the Emperor, added to the hist. of Trent. Concil. p. 829, 830.  universal Bishop, and directly styling him, The forerunner of Antichrist, who should dare to assume it unto himself: Yet Boniface the third moved nothing herewith, obtained of wicked Phocas (who, by the murdering of his Lord Mauricius, had got into the Empire,) that the Church of Rome might be called, and taken for the chief and head of all Churches; and himself to be sty led the Universal Bishop of the World: And in this, thus ambitious Boniface, had Antichrist his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the entrance upon his height: After that, through many cruelties and tyrannies, his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or perfection, was in Gregory the seventh, commonly called Hildebrand, 
k By. Downam, Diatrib. de Antichrist. contr. Leon. Lessium.  who first of all the rest, about the year, 1073. subjected the Diadem to the Mitre, exalting himself above all that is called God, 2 Thess. 2.4. That is, above all Magistrates, both supreme and subordinate; 
l Otho. Frisingensis, lib. 9 c. 35.  who by reason of the resemblance in Majesty, being God's Vicegerents in authority upon Earth, are called 
m Exod. 22, 28.  Gods, 1 Cor. 88.5. though Essentially they are no Gods: And by the devise of the holy 
n See M. Fuller his Hist. of the holy War elegantly penned.  War at Jerusalem, lurching the Patrimony of deluded Princes, (whom he had persuaded to bear arms in that cause) in their absence, to Saint Peter's chair; he advanced himself at length to so great an height, that his head grew giddy; and so that 
o Rev. 9.1. Stellam hanc omnes fere Neoterici interpretantur de Romano Vontisice, ut Joachimus, Abbas Bulling, Gyffard, Dent. etc.  star fell down from Heaven, to the earth; And ever since in the later times, hath this Antichrist had his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the remission of his vigour, and his declination: And now how should every zealous soul, who clearly and without dissembling, wisheth well to the Peace of this our Zion; take up that of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem, and cry 
p Psal. 137.7.  down with him, down with him, even to the ground? Lo this great 
q Rev. 17.1.  whore of Papacy is cast upon her bed of 
r Psal. 41.3.  languishing, and is sick, we hope to death; so that she shall never be able more to rise up, nor with the 
s Revel. 17.2.  Wine of her spiritual, filthy fornications, to entoxicate the nations of the earth; so long, so ruefully, already, made drunken by her; yea, the Lord Christ shall consume the 
t 2 Thess. 2.3.  man of sin, with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. 2.8. yea even so 
u Revel. 22.20.  come, Lord Jesus, come quickly: And do unto him, and unto all his complices, as unto the Midianites, as to 
* Psal. 83.9, 10.  Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kishon, which perished at Endor, they became as dung for the earth, etc. Yea, let God arise, and let his 
x Psal. 68.1, 2, etc.  Enemies be scattered, let them also that hate him fly before him, as smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish, at the presence of God: but let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God, yea, let them exceedingly rejoice; let them sing unto God, sing praises unto his Name, and extol him that rideth upon the Heavens, by his Name I A H, and rejoice before him.  
It is time to end: suffer a word of exhortation and I have done; I shall begin it, in the words of Ezra, cap. 9.13, 14. Seeing that thou our God, hast given us such a deliverance as this; as this, so eminent, so miraculous, so when we were high o destruction, and the very mouth of ruin gaped, and was open to devour us; should we again break thy Commandments? and join with the people of these abominations? wouldst thou not be angry with us, till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor escaping? Ah my brethren, let us be awakened from our deadly security, from our sinful unthankfulness; favours bestowed raise up an expectation of obedience, and of a godly conversation, Mic. 6.8. As therefore the Heathens had their three Graces, (as inseparable sisters) he one to give the benefit, the other to receive it, and the third to return it, and they painted them always [young;] to the end, a benefit might be ever [fresh] in their remembrances: 
y Heb. 13.22.  so let us never 
z Psal. 137.5.  forget this favour of all favours, this day, bestowed upon this Land and Kingdom: Let us give up ourselves, our souls and bodies, all that we are, or have, as a solemn, real 
a Rom. 12.1.  Sacrifice to the 
b Psal. 18.46.  God of our salvation, who hath done so 
c 1 Sam. 12.24.  great things for our souls: This, this alone is the way to continue his mercy and loving kindness unto us, and our 
d Deut. 4.40.  posterity for evermore; which God grant for the sake of the Son of his love, Jesus Christ the righteous; To whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit be all praise and glory, world without end, Amen.  
FINIS.   

ERRATA.  
Reader, faults escaped in the Press, and seemingly perverting the sense, are thus to be corrected before thou read.  
Page 1 li● 4. for prayer read praise, & l. 11. ibid. for bosom r. bosom, p. 5 l. 9 for he, r. the, p. 7. for near r. never, p. 10. l. 7. for nigher r higher, p. 11. l. 26. for God, r. Gods, p. 17. l. 15. r. El-schaddal, and l. 28. ib r. thresh, p. 20, l 20. r. Matth. 5.18. p. 24. l. 29. for opposite r. apposite, p. 30. l. 16. r. vellet. and after He, in the same line, supply, might: p. 31. l. 6. r. creezy, p. 32. l. 34. 〈◊〉 yet, r. yea, p. 37. l. 22. for Warwick, r. Worcester, p. 48. l. 7. for great. r. grate, p. 49 l. 12 for never, r. neither, p, 46. l. 7. for eve, r. every, p. 50. l. 32. for known, r. tongue, p. 52. l. 27. for their, r. thine.