THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON:  
To this is subjoined a Prayer for an Army going to Battle, and a thanksgiving after the Victory.  
By M. Zachary Boyd, preacher of God's word at Glasgow.  Prov. 21.31. The horse is prepared for the day of Battle, but safety is of the Lord. 
Printed at Glasgow by George Anderson, 1643.   

UNTO HIS EXCELLENCE MY LORD GENERAL LESLY, EARL OF LEAVEN, etc.  
Please your EXCELLENCE.  
MOre than fifeteene hundred years ago Christ's beloved Disciple heard a loud voice, saying in heaven. woe to the inhabitants of the earth; the reason is subjoined, 
Rev. 12.12  for the Devil is come down, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time; his time is now shorter, therefore his rage is increased, for this cause hath he taken the Antichrist, the man of sin by the hand, 
2 Thes. 2.3  who with all his followers breathe nothing but cruelty.  
It is storied of the mother of Dominicus, who after became a grea● patron of Monks, that when she wa● with child of him she dreamt tha● she had in her womb a wolf, wit● a burning torch in his mouth; suc● indeed be all Babel's beasts that cam● out of the Antichristian den, t●● whelps of that great beast of Rom● they are all Ravenous wolves, 
Mat. 7.15  th●● have nothing in their mind but fi●● and Gunpowder, to blow up Kin● and Parliaments, and if that succeed not; to make havoc of all renting the head from the member even the King from his most faithful Subjects, whom they at this time (● being the loyal Catholic Subjects declare to be but traitors and rebel's, as if the Fox would make t●● flock believe, that the shepherd's d● were their great enemy and did deprive them of many fair Prerogatives, but if he were in his place, th●● should have all according to the Good will and Pleasure.  
This is the main quarrel of Bri●aine this day; Satan in great wrath with the forces of Antichrist are in ●he open field; The Lord is going to Battle against them, and he hath choose your Excellence to be his Gide●n; Heer is the Sword, even the Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon; I offer it to your Excellence, as hearty as ever Jonathan gave unto David his Sword and his Bow. 
1 Sam. 18.4   
My allegiance to my dear Master Christ, necessitates all my endeavoures to help forward the Good Cause, both by tongue and pen; that man is happy of whom men may truly say, that which Christ said of the Woman that poured the ointment on his head, 
Mark. 14.8  she hath done what she could.  
This little book, even that which I could, is come to your Excellence to beg a look of favour; It is not from any presumption of its worth that it durst look so high; a lower patron might well have served higher meditations; but love whiles maketh folk too forward; it made Mary to striv● to get Christ in her arms when i● was not lawful to touch him. 
Joh. 20.17   
Your Excellence loyalty, courage and zeal, still levelling at God's glory maketh you so dear to all his faithful servants, that glad would we all b● to have any thing that might be t● you for a testimony of our sincere affection towards you, A mite of love is better than a million of compliments.  
While in modesty I disparage this work, as it is from m● self, yet I can not in niceness altogether deny, but GOD hat● made my pen to hit upon diver● things, which may bring profit● to the Reader: What ever th●● work be after it hath been both preached, penned, and printed if it be not so precious as purple and blue silk, which the riche● sort did afford at the making of the Tabernacle, yet let it be but like Goats-haire the poor man's gift, I with a most willing mind offer it to the Lord, who accepted as well the poor man's pigeon, as the rich man's ox for a Sacrifice: 
Leu. 12.8  This being such an offering for GOD, I humbly desire, that by the way it may get a favourable glance of your Excellence eye, under whose patronage it may be respected in the going forth by your honourable authorising, though it come far short both of your Excellence desert, and of mine own desire; the treatise is small, but it is an Earnest of more; that little I have, or am, is most sincerely at your Excellence service, for whom the Urims and Tummims of Levi in this land, shall daily be presented before the Lord; our altars shall still reek with the incense of hearty prayers for your prosperity and happiness.  
While at the Battle of Amaleck, Joshuah fought in the valley, Moses prayed on the mountain; 
Exod. 17 11  So while your Excellenc● Gods Joshuah shall in the valle● fight for GOD'S Israel against Papists, Prelates, and Arminians Satan's black Squadrons, w● the servants of the LORD wi●● climb the hill, and hold up ou● hands by prayers unto God, s● that your Excellence may boa●● God's enemies, and say unto them as Abijah threatened the idolater of King Jereboams army, 
2 Chro. 13 12  Behold God himself is with u● for our Captain, and his Priest with sounding Trumpets, to cr● alarm against you.  
Now Christ that great Jehovah the Captain of the Lord host, the God of Battles, protect you● person, perfect your graces, prospe● your ways, prolong your days, direct your army, make you still victorious, comfortable to your friends, 
Cant. 6.10  terrible to your foes, as an army with banners, that after ye with honour have finished your course, 
2 Tim. 4.7  and fought the good fight on earth, ye may get glory in heaven with all these faithful Commanders, these noble warriors, these great Generals of God's armies, Moses, Joshua, Barak, Gideon, Jephte. Samson, and Samuel, and all others GOD'S worthies, whose names are written in the Book of life.  
Your Excellence most humble servant, M. Zachary Boyd. From Glasgow the 27 of November, 1643.   

THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON.  Psal 60. vers. 11. Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man. 12. Through GOD we shall do valiantly; for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. 
THat was a worthy speech of S. Augustin, 
Aug. conf. 6. Deus unicum habet filium sine peccato, nullum sine flagello.  God hath one Son without sin, but none without suffering; The righteous are only God's children, and these are the men of many troubles, 
Psal. 34.19  many are the troubles of the righteous; 
Note.  By this means their souls are bleached, 
Dan. 12.10  and as Daniel saith, are tried and made white.  
As for the wicked whose best fruits on earth are but stinking hemlocks, 
Am 6.12 Psal. 73.5  they both bud and flourish; they are not in trouble like other men, neither are they plagued like other men; the paltry pleasures of the earth make them to forget God, their Saviour Christ, and the precious soul that lieth in their bosom; 
Psal. 73.6  because they prosper, therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment; 
Note.  All their joy is without and not within, because they want a good conscience, the Bird of the Bosom which sings most sweetly in the day of trouble; they are rocked in security and often live in outward ease, until the end come; then doth the Lord cast them down to destruction; As a dream when one awaketh he will despise their image, 
Psal. 73.20  that is, their shadows, their transitory estate, the moment of their fugitive follies and fadding pleasures: He that hath been in the Sanctuary, a Scholar of God, will never envy their prosperity. No, not; let them keep still their honours, and their rents, and their riches, and their glory, and all their good things, I leave them in their pestilent path unto him who is the righteous Lord, who is preparing for them Tophet, a pit, 
Isa. 30.33  a lake of fire, eternal flames, streams of brimstone and gnashing of teeth; hell itself is groaning for them.  
My chief earand in this psalm, is to seek out wisdom for to teach the godly what to do in the days of their distress; the text is most fit for this purpose, it sends you away from men to see● the help of God, Give us hel● from trouble, for vain is the hel● of man, through GOD we sha● do valiantly, etc. These are word most fitting for a Commander when with his troops he marcheth to the Battle; THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON, are the matter of m● Text.  

Of the Title of the Psalm.  
BEfore I come to the words, will first illustrate unto yo● the title or inscription of th● psalm, whereby ye may the be●ter understand the nature, the occasion and subject of the whole the inscription is in these words▪ To the chief Musician upon sh● shan-eduth, Michtam of David to teach, when he stro● with Aram Naharaim and with Aram-Zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt, twelve thousand.  

1. Shushan.  
BY Shushan here some understand a six stringed instrument, upon which the chief Musician was ordained to play the praises of God, contained in this psalm; we have the like title prefixed to the forty five psalm, To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, that is, a six stringed instrument so called from the Hebrew word Shesh, which signifieth six; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  others not without good reason think that this psalm be so called, for its beauty, because it is pleasant and of a good savour, like a Lily, who for its six leaves is in the Canticles called Shoshan, 
Cant. 2.1  I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys; Dear Beloved, this day have brought for yo●● comfort this most pleasant Lill●● from the Garden of God.   

2. Eduth.  
SEcondly it is called Eduth, th●● is, the testimony, this declareth the Psalm to be a testimony o● David's faith in the day of troubl● wherein both through God, an● for God he did most valiantly or it may be called Eduth, the testimony, because it was ordaine● to be sung by the Priest's befo●● the Ark, 
Exod. 40.5  which was called Aron-Eduth the Ark of the testimony, because it was a Testimony or witness of God's present among his people.   

3. Michtam of David to teach.  
THirdly, the Psalm is calle● Michtam of David to teach that is a golden Psalm, full of ●olden doctrine, to teach chief ●en of war on whom to re●●y in a day of Battle. The He●rew word Michtam is from that other word Cethem, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  which signifies most fine gold; the Spouse ●n her Song giveth this word to Christ's head; My beloved, said ●he, is white and ruddy, 
Cant. 5 10  the fairest ●mong ten thousand; his head is Cethem as the most fine gold. 
Massa auri vel auram obrizum.  Such ●s this Psalm well in the margin ●f your Bibles called a Golden Psalm: there be great riches; I ●ring unto you this rich propine ●rom God, a most excellent trea●ure, and offer it unto you this day; The thiefs, the men of war may steel or spoil you of your Gold, as the Danites did to Mi●ah when they bereft him of his Silver-images, 
Judg. 18.18  but if ye get this gold, ye shall live and die rich, ●n despite of all the world.  
I think that there was Silver and Gold in great abundance i● Laodicea, whose words were s● rich, 
Rev. 3.17  I have need of nothing but because that Church had ver● little of this Gold, Christ Jesu● proclaimed her a beggar, miserable and poor.  
If ye consider this most fin● gold, this land of all lands is th● most rich in Gold mines; there 〈◊〉 no such plenty of God's word under the cope of heaven, as by h● favour we have this day; Go● word is our gold; for this gol● we must all be ready to lay dow● our lives: 
Rev. 3.11  It was God's counsel to Philadelphia, Hold fast th● which thou hast, that no man ta●● thy crown; let us do so with th● gold of GOD'S word; let n● man take it from us.  
This gold is better than an● gold of the earth; the earth gol● is both dumb and dead, it can sa● nothing for the comfort of it● owner, in the terrors of death, but this gold is a teacher; it is here called Michtam of David for to teach: This is not the gold of Papists idols Elilim, teachers of vanities. So called from Elil, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leu. 26.1  that is nothing, these golden nothings with their golden beards, have mouths and speak not, eyes and see not, ears and hear not; Behold a great plague, these that make them are like unto them; 
Psal. 135.18  so is every one that trusteth in them, or maketh any religious use of them; It is no wonder that Papists can not easily be drawn from their idolatry; the reason is this, there is a fearful curse upon them, they are by GOD in his wrath stupefied and made deaf like their golden idols; Blessed be the Lord, our Bible's are Michtams jewels of gold, for to teach souls what to do in such terrible days, as are these wherein we live; therein we have comforts both in life an● death.   

4. When he strove with● Aram Naharaim and with Aram-Zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt, twelv● thousand,  
THe occasion and Subject o● this Psalm, were many enemies Syrians and Edomites gathered in Battle against David wh● fought against them, and by th● power of GOD overcame them▪  
The enemies who were Syrian● are here called Aram Naharai● and Aram-Zobah; the Syrians are called Aramites from Aram the Son of Shem, the Son Noah▪ Shem had Elam, and Ashur, and Aram, and Arphaxad; the Assyrians came of Ashur, and the Syrians of Aram, 
Gen. 10.22  and the Israelites came of Arphaxad, for Arphaxad begat Salah, and Salah begat Heber, from whom GOD'S people were first called Hebrews, after from Ja●obs wrestling were called Israelits, And last of all from Judah the son of Jacob, were called Jews: The ●nd of Aram, which was Syria, ●ad many parts, as Padan aram, 
Gen. 28.2 1 Chro. 19 6 Gen. 24.10  ●nd Aram Maacah, and Aram of ●amascus; here we have Aram ●aharaim so called from the He●rew word Nahar, that is a flood, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  because it did lie between the two ●●vers Tigris and Euphrates; for his cause by the Greeks it was ●alled Mesopotamia, that is the ●nd between the rivers, here also made mention of Aram-Zobah, which was a country near the ●ther; unto these were joined E●om, the posterity of Esau, who ●as called Edom, that is red, because ●hen he was borne, he came out ●ed all over like a hairy mantle; 
Gen. 25.25  ●hese Edomites joined with the other Syrians, came against Dav●● in hope to have Canaan, whic● as they esteemed, belonged b● better right unto the posterity 〈◊〉 Esau, who was the elder b●●ther; mention here is only ma●● of twelve thousand Edomites killed; the rest of the history is 〈◊〉 down at large in the eigh● chapter of the second boo● of Samuel.  
The place where this batt●● was fought is called the val●● of Salt, a place as some thin● near unto the lake Asphalti●● where Sodom and Gomorah we● before their destruction, a● where Lot's wife was turned i● a pillar of Salt: 
Gen. 19.26 Gen. 14.3  In Genesis, t● valley is called the valley of S●dim, which is the salt Sea, a pla●● by God, in a manner sown w● salt, and made barren by Go● curse, 
Psal. 107.34  who when he is angry putteth a fruitful land to Saltne● that is to barrenness, 
Deut. 29.23  for Salt causeth barrenness.    

The division of the Psalm.  
THe parts of this Psalm are chief three; In the first part, David complaineth of GOD'S hard dealing with his people; O GOD, saith he, thou hast cast us off thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased, etc. Of this until the fourth verse: In the second part from the fourth verse until the ninth, he comforteth himself in GOD, Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, etc. In the third part from the ninth verse until the end, he poureth out wishes and prayers for help in his troubles, and at last endeth the Psalm with a most courageous resolution, to fight for the glory of God, and for the liberties of the Kingdoms Through God we shall do valiantly This Psalm is most fit for a d● of Battle, the Lord teach me t● day with Habakkuk to say, 
Hab. 2.1  I● stand upon my watch, and set me u● the tower, and will watch to see w● God will say unto me.   

The division of the Text.  
IN the words of the text, th● be two chief parts; In t● first part we have David's pra●er, Give us help from troub●● for vain is the help of man; the second part we have Davi● courageous resolution, Throu●● God we shall do valiantly; 〈◊〉 he it is that shall tread do● our enemies.   

I. PART: David's Prayer.  
THe Prayer of David here is contained in these words, Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man.  
In this prayer we have two things; first, a petition; secondly, the reason; the petition is in these words, Give us help from trouble; the reason is subjoined in these words, for vain is the help of man.  

1. The Petition. Give us help from trouble.  
THe help he seeketh from God is, that God would help him from trouble.  
The troubles of this world are of two sorts, the troubles of the wicked and of the godly; As for the wicked, they for a time have their good things here; 
Luk. 16.25  during this time they are strong and stu●dy, they are so brawned and sear●● and sealed up with senselessness o● God's wrath, that they seem o●ly happy; If at any time the●● conscience begin to grumble, mu●ter, or make a noise, they ano● drown the voice with earth●● sounds, like the Israelites drum in their Sacrifices to Moloc● which hindered them to he●● the pitiful squeels of their children burning in the fire of Tophe● They all have an eating wor● in their Conscience, 
Mark. 9.44  which the feed with earthly comforts a● men feed with raw flesh, the wol● or feaster in the arms or legs but oh, when the days of the ease is expired, and these raw fleshly comforts removed, there be n● troubles like their troubles, which are filled with such strong, an● strange ingredients of fears, an● Bedlam fits, that they (like A●pen leaves) tremble at their own shadow; Hell is already within them; when they begin to be thus gnawed with the worm that dieth not, they are so tared and tortured, that they imagine hell on earth to be worse than hell below; 
Note.  Thus desperate Francis Spira said often, That he envied Cain Saul and Judas, wishing rather any of their rooms in the dungeon of the damned, then to have his poor heart so rend in pieces with raging terrors, and fiery desperations upon the bed of death.  
Whereupon he at another time being asked, if he feared more torments after this life; Yes, said he, But I desire nothing more than to be in that place, where I shall expect no more.  
These and such are the troubles of the wicked below, when their sleeping worm is wakened; the● are such, that they imagine tha● their troubles in hell shall give ease unto their tortures on earth▪ for this reason divers do desperately either hang themselves or throw themselves down from high precipices: as for the troubles of the godly, whereof I have to speak chiefly in this place, they are very many and painful, though ever mixed with mercy.  
The troubles of God's servants here below are of two sorts, either inward or outward: The godly inwardlv will be horribly hemmed in with sorrows; and sore vexed with dreadful desertions, having their wounded hearts all bleeding, under the lashes of the Law, 
Mic. 6.7  so that they would give their firstborn for their transgression; the very grief of hell will lay hold on their souls; in a manner with their Master Christ they will descend into hell; but after many painful wrestle, they having received a Certificate of mercy, at last, by his Spirit, they victoriously ascend into heaven, and so triumph over all their troubles.  
As for their outward troubles here below, the Church on earth is like a ship on the sea tossed to and fro, with winds and waves; of this, our pure Church of Scotland, hath woeful experience this day: Our whole land is now in trouble; many godly hearts are pricked with great perplexity; our watchmen all cry, 
Zeph. 1.14  The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; 
vers. 15.  a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, 
Zeph. 2. 2●  the decree is in readiness to bring forth; a fearful tempest is fast coming with horrible gale; 
Inimicorum malitia est nostra militia.  the whole land 〈◊〉 like to be turned into a bale a fi●● and therefore our Nation at thi● hour, hath great need to cry t● God in the words of this text Give us help from trouble.  
The time of trouble, the sa● and irksome hour, is the tim● of prayer: we have both precept and practice, and also promises o● deliverance to these who at su●● times give themselves to prayer▪  
The precepts are both in th● old Testament and new: In th● old Testament, God saith, C● upon me in the day of trouble; 
Psal. 50.15  the new Testament, God sait● Is any among you afflicted? 〈◊〉 him pray. 
jam. 5.13   
As we have the precepts, also it hath ever been the pract● of all God's children to pray their troubles; 
Hos. 12.4  Jacob in his tro●ble wept and made supplication Moses prayed so that God in a manner entreated him, 
Exod. 32.10  to let him ●lone, as though the power of the man's prayers had overcome his omnipotency, from doing his people Jsrael any hurt; 
Est quaedam precum omnipotentia.  Luther was wont to say, There is a certain omnipotency in prayer, it hath an eternity of virtue; all the godly in all times have known this, and therefore when great troubles ●ame, their practice was to pour out many prayers; when the Amalekites did fight against Israel, Moses went up to the mount and prayed for Israel▪ Jonah in the belly of hell prayed, 
Exod. 17.11 Joh. 2.2.  out of the belly of hell, said he, cried I, and thou heardst my voice; when Christ was in his agony in the garden, he most fervently prayed again and again; all the psalms of David's troubles are most excellent prayers. 
Mat. 26.42   
As we have both precepts and practice for praying in trouble, also have we most fair promis● to be heard; 
Psal. 50.15  Call upon me in 〈◊〉 day of trouble saith the Lord, a● I will deliver thee; In the ne● Testament we have Christ crying, 
Mat. 7.7  Ask and ye shall receiv● seek and ye shall find; the pr●mise is made to all, as well to th● beggar on the dung hill as th● Prince sitting on his Throne.  
Hear is a King begging fro● God; the thing that he seeketh, help from trouble; that which moved him to cry for help was h● trouble, and this was his chief● trouble, that his enemies in gr● number had this often in th● mouth, that God netheir would could help him; Many there said David, 
Psal. 3.2  that say of my so● there is no help for him in GO● David's dangers never troub● him so much as God's dishonour when God's glory seemed a● way in jeopardy, that was Davids ●●ouble; My tears, said he, 
Psal. 42.3  have e'en my meat day and night; while ●hey continually say unto me, where thy God. this chief made David ●eer to cry for help, give help, Lord, from trouble.  
Observe here that these who ●re truly godly, 
The Doctrine.  find no trouble ●o sensible as that which is by the dishonour of God: Eli was a ●ood man, though he had his own ●ults in a too great indulgence ●owards his children, yet in this ●ee manifested an honest heart, ●hat nothing troubled him so much as the dishonour of GOD: When the messenger came from ●hat Battle, wherein the Israelites were overthrown by the Phili●●ines, & told him many evil news, ●e sat still in his chair, and heard ●im; when the messenger said, israel is fled before the Philistines, 
1 Sam. 4.17  ●e sat still, though with a grieved heart; after that the m●senger said, There hath been 〈◊〉 a great slaughter among the people these news wounded him so● yet he sat still in his seat; af● that the messenger said, A● thy two sons Hophni and Phi●has are dead; this heard, ma● a very great wound in his hea● yet he sat still in his seat; b● as soon as the messenger h● said, The Ark of God is tak● Eli could sit no longer, 
1 Sam. 4.18  but from off the seat backward, by seat of the gate, and his n● broke, and he died.  
The 1 use; Seeing this o● is a day of trouble, 
The 1 use  and of t● sort of trouble, that the Ark God is in danger to be taken the Philistines, let all men th● have a Christian heart, cry mightily with their heart, Give 〈◊〉 help from trouble; The Lord complained of his people, that th● cried not unto him with their heart, 
Hos. 7.14  ●hen they howled upon their beds; ●e all now have great need to ●y unto God▪ with our hearts, or if our day go down, and if ●ur Gospel, the glory depart ●om our land, we shall say that ●e never knew what trouble was ●ntill now: what a sorrow shall 〈◊〉 be to us to hear that Israel is ●d before their enemies? what a ●rief to hear that there hath also e'en a great slaughter among the ●●ople? what a piercing of heart, 〈◊〉 hear that Hophni and Phineas, ●ur sons or our husbands are ●●aine or dead: But O who shall ●e able either to stand or sit, if ●hese news shall come, the Ark ●f god is taken? the Gospel of ●esus Christ is in the hands of God's enemies, for to be taken ●●om us? these shall be the black●st news that ever were heard in ●ur land, since the beginning of our reformation; then may 〈◊〉 godly men and women 〈◊〉 with the dying wife of Phine●● Ichabod, 
1 Sam. 4 21  where is the glory? th● shall be a trouble indeed; a● therefore before it come, let us with wounded and bleedi●● hearts cry mightily to God Give us help from trouble.  
If we do this duty diligent I dare promise in the Name 〈◊〉 the Lord, that all these who r●fuse this day to set up altars to that shameful thing, 
Jer. 11.13  shall last see a hand work such a glorious work in this land, that t●● world shall know, that our GO● is the Lord; many nations sh●● cry as the Israelites did (wh●● God brought down fire upon Elijahs sacrifice) The Lord, he is t●● God, 
1 King. 19 39  the Lord he is the God; b● otherwise, if we be negligent vicious, if the Lord hath ca● to say, 
Amo. 2.4  For three transgressions and for four, if we by our sins continue to press our God under 〈◊〉, as a cart full of sheaves, 
Am. 2.13  it ●ay be that he will suffer his ●rk, his Gospel to be taken prisoner, and set it in the Temple ●f their idols, but at last (after ●hat the Lord hath corrected his people, for the contempt of his Gospel) he shall do with all Po●ish idols, as he did with the ●hilistines Dagon, which first he made to fall upon his face to the ●●ound, 
1 Sam. 5.3  and after they had set ●im up again, cut off his head, and ●he palms of his hands, 
vers. 4  only the ●mp of Dagon was left to him; ●fter that where ever God's Ark remained prisoner, the Lord smote ●is enemies on the hinder parts ●ith emrod's; they had no rest ●ntill they sent it back again; ●●us the Lord most gloriously ●elped his people from trouble. If we will continue in sincerity, to fast and pray, there shall 〈◊〉 be a stone in the field, but shall be like that stone of Sam●el, which he called Eben-ezer, t● stone of help; in whatsoe●●● danger we shall be, we shall 〈◊〉 with Samuel, 
1 Sam. 7 12 Am. 4.1  Hitherto hath 〈◊〉 Lord helped us; hear this word ye● of Bashan, who push with yo●● horns against Gods dear servants, as though God did 〈◊〉 regard, or could not give us from trouble.  

The 2 use  The 2. use. Let this serve reproof to these base and bea● bodies, whose names are wri●●● in the earth, 
Jer. 17.13  who have neit●●● heart nor hand nor tongue, fo● help God's Church from trouble, th●● have not a thought of pity, th●● know not what it is to be gyved for the affliction of Jose●● they have made their hearts an Adament-stone, 
Amo. 6.6.  they are 〈◊〉 and beastly, 
Zach. 7.12  they have no courage in their hearts; they have ●o hands for the good cause; ●heir tongue by their words, as ●y a Sibboleth, bewrayeth them, 
Jud. 12.6  ●at they are not on God's side; 〈◊〉 send such to hearken Deborah 〈◊〉 her song, cursing bitterly all ●hose that come not to help the ●ord, 
Jud. 5.23  to help the Lord against the mighty;  
If Meroz was cursed because ●hey came not to help the Lord, ●ll the curses of Ebal shall, like fire ●nd brimstone, rain down upon ●ll these, who for a short glance ●f proseritie, for a vain hope of preferment, for a vanity of ●anities, for a golden dream, ●ome against the Lord, for to ●urt the good cause; a cloud of wrath, a world of woe, a hell ●pon earth, shall one day come ●pon all these, who rejoicing ●n the Church's desolations, say, ●th, so would we have it; 
Psal. 35.25  such shall either perish by fire wi●● that company of Corah, or swallowed up with Dathan, shall die by the sword with ●laam, or shall burn themselv●● with Zimri, or shall hang the● selves with Judas and Ahitoph● the Lord shall set wicked n● over them; 
Psal. 109.6 7.8. etc.  Satan shall stand their right hand; when they sh●●● be judged, they shall be condemned, their prayers shall be tur●●● into sin, their days shall few, and another shall take th● office; their children shall be ●●therlesse, and their wives widows their children shall be vagabond and beg: the extortioners shall ca● all that they have, etc. In a wo●● their possessions shall be made t● breeding of nettles, and a perpetual desolation; 
Zach. 2.9  all the imprecation that David made in that Psalm against his enemies, shall come ●pon these that refuse to help t● LORD, and his Church from trouble.  
The word trouble here is in the Hebrew, Tsar, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  which signifieth straightness or distress as when a man is so driven into some narrow place, that he knoweth not to what hand to turn him. When God being angry at King David, for numbering the people ordained his Prophet Gad, not in a smooth and silken Court-sermon, but in a divine authority, to give the King his choice of seven year's famine, or of three months flying before the enemies, or of three day's pestilence, David the King said unto the Prophet, 
2 Sam. 24 14  I am in a great strait; in the Hebrew it is Tsar-li; as if he had said, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  I am besieged on all sides, I know not to what hand to turn me, I doubt of what plague to make choice.  
Observe here, 
The Doctrine.  what is often the condition of God's dearest children, their life here is full of troublesome turn; their condition of life is to be driven into great straits; this was the complaint of the Church, They have often afflicted me from my youth, 
Psal. 129.1  and again immediately after, they have often afflicted me from my youth; the door of heaven is called the straight gate, and the way thereunto is called the narrow way: 
Mat. 7.13  Satan's rage is restless, his trade is a trade of blood, he is that old spewing dragon, who casts out of his mouth floods of venom after the Church; 
Rev. 12.15  what is Christ's Church on earth, but like a scorched heath, or a root in dry ground? All these that now sing in heaven have mourned here; before they came to these mansions of joy, they all past thorough the valley of Baca, a world of tears and troubles; S. John in the Revelation, saith, that one of the Elders of heaven came unto him, and said, 
Rev. 7.13  What are these that are arraide in white robes? men all filled with joy; S. John could not tell what kind of men they were; Sir said he, thou knowest; then the Elder said to John, these are they which came out of great tribulation; 
vers. 14  there be no souls in heaven now, but first on earth they have been in great tribulations; they in great terrors and anxiety have all cried, Give us help from trouble, in the day of their small things they all have been in a great strait. 
Zach. 4.10   
The 1. use; 
The 1 use  Let us all here learn, that in this world many swarms of sorrows, and vexations are prepared for us that mind the way to heaven; the best hearts below are often crammed with sighs, and groans; the grief of mind consumes their marrow, chills their blood, wastes their spirits, shorteneth their life, maketh them pale and won; that we should not startle, in our fears Christ hath foretold and said, 
Joh. 16 33  In the world ye shall have tribulation; Again, the world shall laugh, 
Joh. 16.20  but you shall weep: the devil, the Prince of this world, 
Joh. 12.31  still goeth about to fasten his fangs upon redeemed souls, and to spite fire balls at the faces of best Christians; the church by Zacharie, is compared to myrtle trees in a bottom, 
Zach. 1.8  or low valley, that is in a low base and contemptible condition; here is not our rest, and therefore let us not think among so many dogged Doegs, cursed Curs, to come to heaven, but by a way that is straight, narrow, and troublesome, a way of deepest sighs and saltest groans, a way strewed with losses and crosses; Satan can not forget his trade of tempting, and of spewing floods of troubles against the Saints; the word of God tells us, that he hath fearful depths, 
Rev. 2.24 2 Cor. 2.11  crafty devices and strange plotted wiles to bring a mischief upon all these that truly fear God; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.11  If we live godly in Christ let us resolve to suffer persecution, to sail thorough seas of sorrows: yea, to be in the belly of hell like Jonah, where troubles like waters shall compass us about, even to the soul; 
Joh. 2.5  as long as the Devil is out of hell, he will not cease to devise pestilent plots against all these that walk towards heaven: By the Cross Christ himself went to the Crown; will we be able to find another way? are we dearer to God, than David was? Hear him here crying to God, Give us help from trouble; Jacob that Prince of God, 
Gen. 32.28  an Israel, who by wrestlng overcame God, 
Gen. 47.9  walked also in the way of troubles; few and evil said he, 
Gen 47.9  have my days been; Daniel, 
Dan. 10.19  a man greatly beloved, wa● cast into a den of Lions, after a great vision he fainted, and wa● sick many days; 
Dan. 8.27  Christ himself is called a man of many sorrows, he suffered hunger, 
Isa. 53.3  thirst, nakedness, and at last, was put to deat● like a Traitor, attached on a rack After him came a world of hi● worthies, of whom the work was not worthy, of whom (like others before him) some were tortured, and others had trial o● cruel mockings, 
Heb. 11 35  and scourge, o● bonds, and imprisonments; of other it is said, that they were stoned and sawen asunder, 
vers. 36  and slai● with the Sword, and that th● wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins, being destitute afflicted, 
vers. 37.  tormented; As it hat● been, so it shall be with God servants on earth, until the lo● day of mankind come to its even: seeing it is so, let all of us now in these days of trouble resolve with Ezekiel, 
Eek. 12 18  to eat our bread with quakeing, and drink our drink with trembling, because we have sinned; if the Lord send a persecution, let us purpose, yea resolve to cast off our most costly apparel, to forsake all other delights, for to go with Christ, having the sheepskinnes or goateskinnes upon our backs: 
heb. 11 37  let us be content in our days of trial for Christ, to put on Joshuahs' filthy garments, 
Zach. 3.3  the vilest rags of captivity: We have enjoyed a long rest, a most wonderful peace; we know not but by hearing, or reading, what the Cross is; now in all appearance the time is come, that the Lord will let it be seen who are his true servants: it may be that he permit now such a cruel trial, the like whereof hath not be● in our land, and therefore it is o● duty in this day of our public fast, to entreat the Lord most earnestly for one of two, that either (according to the words of m● text) he would give us help from trouble, in delivering us rom th● great evils we fear, or else tha h● would give us strength, patience and courage to suffer for his sake yea, to rejoice with the Apostle that we are counted worthy to suffer either shame or pain for hi● name: 
Act. 5.41  Outward torments fo● Christ are nothing to these wh● have a good conscience, tha● heavenly musician singing mo● sweetly day and night: One sait● very well, that the tears of good conscience have more pleasure in them, than the world greatest joy; they are full of th● sweetest juice, marrow, hone● kernel, comforts, relish th●● the heart of man can conceive; 
Cum suspiriis inenarrabilibus conjunctum est gaudium ineffabile.  they have an unspeakable joy with inuterable sighs.  
The 2. use. 
The 2 use Judg. 7.16  Let this serve for reproof to many, who have not a mind to suffer any thing for Christ, yea, not so much as to bear a pitcher for Israel, or to cry, THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON.  
As long as Christ will give loaves to such, they will most frequently swarm about him, 
Joh. 6.26  they are like Ephraim; a cake not turned half daugh and half backed, 
Hos. 7.8  neither raw nor roasted, 
Rev. 3.15  lukewarm ●ike Loadicea; Alas many thousands were ready to sit down with Christ, and to eat of his multiplied loaves and fishes, but where were all these at Golgotha, when the Lord like a Thief was ●anged up between two thiefs? Yea, where then was Peter himself? where then was Andrew, Peter's brother? yea, where the● were James and Philip, and Barth●lomew, Thomas and Matthew and James the son of Alpheus where were Lebeus, and Simon the Cananite? S. Mark saith that they all forsook him and fled only John tarried with him a● the cross, 
Mark. 14 50  to whom he recommended his mother; 
joh. 19.27  what the● did, it was through infirmity they all loved Christ dearly but the fear of death overcame their love, this was a grea● fault; but many among us, carnal men, soaked in sensualities who have cursedly feared the●● own conscience with the hot iron in the Devil's forge, me● whose eyes are darkened wit● the mists of hell, have no courage for GOD'S worship; th● Tavern is their Temple, their bell is their bible and their god; the● are men of rotten hearts, whi●● have so embraced in their arms earthly dung with Demas, 
2 Tim. 4.10  that they care not for Religion; such have no courage for the truth, they have no purpose to suffer loss of lands or lives, 
1 Cor. 1.18 Ezek. 28.3  for the folly of this Gospel: Behold they are wiser than Daniel: They esteem all these but fools, that in the torrents of troubles forsake their fair  and houses to put on the goat skins, 
Heb. 11.37  and to abide in the caves and dens of the earth; such wise worldlings cannot imagine that Christ is on the suffering side; while they rest pleasantly in their beds of ivory and of ease; 
Am. 6.4  they in their hearts scorn at men as fools, that quite their lands and their lives, their wives, and their houses, and their wealth, for to suffer trouble for religion, which (fie, fie,) they imagine to be but opinions of men, conceits, devices of giddy brains; Giv● unto such the black Mass, an● all the idols of Rome; yea, th● Turkish Alcoran, under som● other more honest names, and they shall embrace them all, before they quite their sieled houses and their silks, 
Hag. 1.4  for to put on th● sheepskinnes, for to wander up an● down with the faithful servant● of Jesus Christ: 
Heb. 11.37  while these fools, have a hot gleam o● earthly glory, while the sails o● their sensuality are filled with carnal delights, they are at home yea (as they think) in heaven crowned with rose buds, and garlands of glory? while they thu● tumble in these earthly pleasures though the Lord Jesus promis● unto them the Crowns of hi● Kingdom, they are (though i● another sense) like the Olive-tree that would not quite its fatness and like the fig tree, 
Judg. 9.9  that would not quite its sweetness; or like the Vine, that would not leave its wine for to be made Kings over the trees: if such temporisers keep fast their earthly good things, 
Luk. 16.25  their cursed bags with holes, they care not for crowns in heaven; 
Hag. 1.9  their earthly ease is To sweet, that they purpose not to pass thorough the pikes, for to have need of this prayer, Give us help from trouble; what ever side is strongest, they mind to laugh with these, like our swallows who forsake us in winter, 
In terras apricas.  for to fly most swiftly un●o lands warmed with a hotter Sun; If our ship go well before the wind, they will sail with us; they will make up a navy, and go in company; but as soon as they find the wind blow another way, they follow the blast, and set their sails according to the weather, being fully resolved never to run hazard so, but that they may ever have one foot lose; the fear of troubles so nettles their nature, which is of such a cowardly constitution, that they can not want their ease: Let such know, that by the doom of divine wisdom, a great woe is denunced against all their ease and pleasures, which shall soon come to an end; whethe● they be Nobles, or Churchmen, or Gentlemen, or of the Common sort, that will not quite thei● ease for to follow Christ with a Cross, at the hour of death they shall all find that they have been but fools; After that these Nobles, or Gentlemen, hav● in their worldly pleasures scoured the plains with their horses and the fields and woods wit● their hounds, and the heaven's wit● their hawks, and have enjoye● here what their heart's coul● wish, the short gleam of their glory shall pass in a moment; ●hen death shall cry to these fools soaked in ease and vanity, Alight from your horses, and go to the dungeons of stink; As for Church men, who are cowards behind, whereas they should be Captains before, like the seven Priests with their seven trumpets, 
Josh. 6.4  for to encourage the men of war to fight God's battles, they shall be greatly disappointed like a poor man in a golden dream, or a hungry man at a feast in his sleep; behold when they are wakened, there is nothing but poverty and emptiness: Of all that sort of whatsoever rank they be that are not zealous for God, truly may be said, they are lovers of pleasures more than of God; 
2 Tim. 3.4  they may have ●ome form of godliness, but ●eeing they deny the power thereof, the Apostles counsel is, that we turn away from such; le● them be, until their day com● when GOD shall let lose th● cords of their conscience, upo● their bed of death, so that in manner they shall be strangle with the horrors of hell, an● damned above the ground worms, scorpions, fear, fire▪ furies, wormwood, and gall shall be the last portion of these fearful, 
Rev. 21.8  who have no courage for the truth, while it is i● any danger.   

2. The reason. For vain is the help of man.  
WE have heard of the petition, Give us help from trouble; now let us hear hi● reason, it is in these words, fo● vain is the help of man, as if he had said to God, O Lord we depend upon thine help alone, and not upon the strength of our army, which without thee is but a vain thing: David had learned this when he fought against armed Goliath, having nothing but a scrip and a sling; If David had not known that an armed man had been a vain thing, he durst never have looked Goliath in the face; It is written, that when the Israelites army saw the man, 
1 Sam. 17 24  they fled from him, and were sore afraid, 
vers. 25  and the men of Israel said one to another, Have ye seen this man that is come up? as if they had said, we never saw such a man as this; But David who had the Lord with him, cared not for him, for he saw him but a vain man, and that all the help that he could make for the Philistines, should be nothing but a vain help, for (a● is here said) vain is the hel● of man: whether man's help b● for us or against us, this remains sure and true, Vain i● the help of man: the Hebrew word (Shave) signifieth a lie, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  rash, false, vain, idle, of n● virtue, or worth.  
Observe here what are these most mighty armies that men can make either for to help us, 
The doctrine.  or to hurt us; they are but men; the Scriptures say, What is man? He is but flesh, 
Psal. 8.4  and all flesh is grass, 
1 Pet. 1.24  what are his bones the● pillars and master timber of his tabernacle? how easily are they broken and bruised into powder▪ I (said Hezekiah) reckoned till morning, 
Isa. 38.13  that, as a Lion, so will he break all my bones; the most valiant Captains, the bravest soldiers, (if the Lord's strength sinew not their arms and legs are all but a deceiving lie: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  a lie ●ntill it be known seems to be some thing, whether it be to rejoice us or to affright us, but (as soon as it is known) either ●he joy or the fear it brought unto us, perish away like smoke; If we see a great army for us, if Gods help be not with us, men's help will be but a lie, even a staff of a broken reed, 
Isa. 36.6  whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand and pierce it: Men without God have neither hearts nor hands to fight; Behold, (said Nahum) thy people in the midst of thee are women, that is, 
Nah. 3.13  fearful and faint hearted bodies: when Israel went out with their army against the Philistines, having the Ark of God with them, they thought that the victory was certain, and therefore they all shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again; 
1 Sam. 4.5  but because God was not at th● battle with them, all their courage and force was found to b● but a lie; All the Captain's o● Israel were that day like the grea● grassehoppers, 
Nah. 3.17  which camp in th● hedges in the cold day; but whe● the Sun ariseth, they flee away and the place is not known wher● they are: likewise on Gilboa● where Saul and Jonathan wer● slain in the Battle, all the captains that day were found to be but a lie; How, 
2 Sam. 1.25  said David are th● mighty fallen in the midst o● the battle? When Israel wen● to battle against the Benjamites▪ for the quarrel of the Levites concubine that rueful spectacle, they understood not this part of my text, vain is the help of man▪ they knew not that man's strength and courage was but a lie, and therefore relying upon the strength of men, they resolved to bring to the battle against Benjamin the tenth man of the land; we, 
Jud. 20.10  said they, will take men of an hundred, throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, so their army came to the number, of four hundred thousand that drew Sword: All these came against the Benjamites, who were but six and twenty thousand and seven hundred, but Israel found, that vain was the help of man; for in the first day of the Battle, they lost twenty and two thousand, in the next day they lost eighteen thousand; until the Lord by fasting and prayer was moved to help them, they found the truth of my text, that vain is the help of man.  
As man without God is vain in his help, so if he come against God, he is more vain in his hurt; God called King Belsh●zar that enemy of his Church Tekel a man of no weight or wort● Behold with what a pomp Ki●● Pharaoh gathered the horse's a● charets of Egypt, 
Dan▪ 5.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  for to bri●● back God's people to their bo●dage; He, as is said of Ki●● Agrippa, 
Act. 25.23  and Bernice his Queen came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with great fantasy, pomp or fool's vain show; I said he, will pursue, 
Ezod. 15.9  I will overtake, I will divi●● the spoil, my lust shall be satisfy upon them; I will draw my swor● my hand shall destroy them; the● were King Pharaohs big bra● while his army put on the harn● but God did blow with his win● and the sea covered them; 
vers. 10.  they sh● as lead in the mighty water he had to do with one strong than himself: Senacherib f● this when God put his hook● his nose, 
2 King. 19 28  and his bridle in his h● though his army was like the sand of the sea shore for number, he was not able to hurt God's people; the Papists could not prevail against this land neither by fire nor water; by water they came by open force, by fire they came like black devils under the earth, hid in faults, but blessed be the Lord, both the one and the other was a lie, rash, false, vain, of no virtue; not a hurt but a help to teach our Kings and the Nation, not to suffer the bloody hounds of that profession, to abide any more in our bosom.  
The use; 
The use.  Seeing that men without God, either in their help or hurt are but vain, a lie, false, of no virtue, let us beware, either to trust too much in the forces of men that are for us, or yet in a cooled courage, to be too afraid for the forces of men that are against us: God was very wr●● with David for numbering t● people; they were thirteen hu●dred thousand valiant men, 
2 Sam. 24 9  b● because David caused numbs them, as if the help of man h● not been vain, the LORD▪ three days killed by the pestilence threescore and ten thousa●● let us beware to count our for●● our forts, and our friends, o● Colonels, our Captains and o● Canons; all these things are b● vain things; they, for to stri● them on the right vein, are b● as is in my text, a lie; If t● Lords help be not for us, though our men were like Saul and Jon●than, 
2 Sam. 1 23  swifter than Eagles, a● stronger than Lions, the fearful day of Gilboah, a black saturn● shall come upon us; nothing sha● be heard but groans and lamentations, How are the mighty f●●len, 
2 Sam. 1 27  and the weapons of war perished! the Lord for our sins, shall deliver us into the hands of brutish men that are skilful to destroy. 
Ezek. 21 31   
But if we can be truly humbled; if every one will turn from ●heir evil ways, and go to God in sincerity with fasting and prayer, for to seek GOD'S help, whose charets are charets of salvation, 
Hab. 3.8  we shall not need to fear ●he forces of men; these who have eyes to see God's charets of fire round about his Church, 
2 King. 6 17  as ●hey were about Elishah, may scorn all the forces of Princes; It is for blind Gehazis, when they see great armies of men to tremble and say, 
2 King. 6 15 Exod. 14 13.  Alas master what shall we do? If we can stand still with Moses, we shall see the salvation of the Lord, we shall sing and rejoice; when Moses saw King Pharaoh and all his bravest Captains gasping in that gulf of the sea, wherein they were drown like dogs, he tuned up hi● song, 
Exod. 15 3.  The Lord is a man of warr● God save our King, the anointe● of the Lord; the lap of his garment shall never be cut by us but if God's enemies, these R●mish and Arminian troops, wi● still like the Egyptians pursue God's Church in this land, for t● speak in Pharaohs words, 
Exod. 15 19  to satisfy their lust upon us, let us stand sti● upon our most holy faith, and w● shall see the salvation of the Lord Scotland shall sing the song o● Moses, The Lord is a man o● war; 
Exod. 15.3  if his help come to th● Battle, we shall not need t● fly with Israel, or in great fear say, of a most mighty armi● as the Israelites trembling, said of Goliath, 
1 Sam. 17 25  Have ye seen th● man, or this army that i● come up?    

2. PART. David's courageous resolution.  
IN the first part of this text, we have heard of David's prayer for Gods help, which was backed with a reason taken from the vanity of man's help, in these words, for vain is the help of man.  
In this second part we have David's courageous resolution, through God, saith he, we shall do valiantly; for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.  
In these words we have two things, first, David's courageous resolution before the battle, through God we shall do valiantly; Secondly, he declareth the ground of all his courage, for, he it is that shall tread down our enemies.  

1. David's courageous resolution.  
THe courage of David he (as ye may see) was very great: when the armies of Aram Naharaim, and of Aram Zobah were ready to go to battle against David, David encouraged Joa● the Captain, and the whol● army with these words, through God we shall do valiantly.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  The Hebrew word Chaijl signifieth valour, force, power▪ prowess, activity, and courage both of body and mind; In this sense David took it, when he said, 
Psal. 18.32  God girdeth me with valour; the word also signifieth an army, 
Psal. 33.16  because in armies courageous men use to be, whose hearts are steeled with stoutness.  
David the servant of God here (though in a very great danger) was all full of courage, Through God, said he, we shall do valiantly; with his courage he was both godly and wise; he was god●y, for he relied not upon his own valour, nor yet upon the ●ourage and skill of Joab his captain, nor yet upon the strength of his army, but upon GOD, whom king Nabuchadnezzar cal●ed a LORD of Kings; 
Dan. 2.47  this Lord of Kings was King david's GOD, through whom he would do valiantly.  
As he was godly in his cou●age, so also he was wise, for as through God he hoped to pre●aile, so also he would do something himself; he went not to ●he other extremity, as to say, All is well now, the Lord will be unto us a brickwall and a sconce, ●nd therefore we need not trouble ourselves any more, we may all sleep now and take our rest, for God will do all; no not David himself, would also do● something for to help the Lord through God, said he, we sha●● do valiantly; that Prophet sai●● wisely to the King of Israel, 
1 King. 20 22  g● and strengthen thyself, and mar● and see what thou dost; Go● himself said to Zion, 
Zeph. 3.16  Let 〈◊〉 thine hands be slack.  

The use.  The use; Let us all this d● learn of David so to depend upon God, that we neglect not t● do something ourselves; If th● Lord hath a Sword, 
Jud. 7.18  let Gide●● have another; THE SWORD O● THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON the neglect of the means is tempting of God; when Chri●● was by Satan set upon the pinac●● of the Temple, 
Mat. 4.5  he would not ca● himself down from thence a● Satan's desire, for needlessly to tr● God's power in his preservation but used the means in commin● down by the stair: God will never help these who are careless to help themselves; I confess, God hath no need of our help; though a mighty army like that of the Syrians which filled the country should come against us, gathered like two little flocks of Kids, 
1 King. 20 27  the Lord should not have need to say to us, as Joab said to Abishai, 
2 Sam. 10 11  If the Syrians be too strong for me, than thou shalt help me, but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then will I come and help thee; the Lord hath no need of any man's help against all the armies of men, though all the world were in Battle array against him and his Church; what are all the strongest armies of the world, but shadows and bubbles like these which little boys out of spittle and soap in their pastimes, blow up with their quills, which anon, being but wind within water burst of themselves? what rea● help can such brettle things mak● to the Lord? though men neither can properly help God, neither hath he properly need of any man's help, yet he declareth these cursed with Meros', who in th● fearful dangers of God's church do not their endeavour to hel● the Lord, 
Judg. 5.33  to help the Lord against the mighty.  
In such days of distress, le● all men go to work; let th● young men in Abners language arise to play, 
2 Sam. 2 14.  and let the old me● in God's language, arise to pray If young Joshuahs' fight in the valleys, 
Num. 17.9  let old Moses pray on th● mountains; though God be● sufficiently able to do all, yet th● faithful man must do through God; through God, said Davi● here, we shall do valiantly; le● these who can not do through God, lie still like drones, let them eat, drink, lie, and sleep still, like Epicures, but these who do through God, shall not fail to do valiantly.  
In the word valiantly here I observe that the servants of God, who do through God, 
The doctrine.  are the only men of courage, men qualified for valour; the reason is, because, what they do, they do it through God, that is by God's help, and for God's glory; only such are men of valour; this was a part of Balaams' prophecy, 
Num. 24 18  and Israel shall do valiantly; David speaking of his enemies said, I did beat them small as the dust before the wind; 
Psal. 18.4  I did cast them out as dirt of the streets; it is the Lord that giveth the heart; only Gods servants have true courage; the wicked, not excepting the stoutest, are called the Fearful; 
Rev. 21.8  such sometimes may seem to be valiant, but all their courage is but rage; like wild Bulls or Boars, or like mad dogs, they may while● furiously fight, but he hath only courage who is assured to enter heaven after death; there be many Colonels and Captains who will go boldly to an assault, but if they fear not God, they are but mad men; Only these are valiant, who can truly say in the faith and fear of God with David, Through God we shall do valiantly; what true courage can a wicked man have to die, that incontinent, after his death is to go from the earth, unto the hells unto the devil and his angles?  

The use.  The use; Before we go to war against men, let us first make war against our sins; let us by repentance▪ kill all our Minion delights, and Captain sins that they reign no more in our mortal bodies, Let us all now in these days of war so study the practice of piety, that all our do may be through God that is both directed by him and for him, that is by his power and for his glory: If this we do sincerely under Christ's banner, our courage shall never fail; we in greatest dangers shall be like Saul and Jonathan swifter than Eagles, 
2 Sam. 1.23  and stronger than Lions; in the valley of the shadow of death, we shall not fear any evil: yea tbough the earth be removed; 
Psal. 46.2  and though the mountains were carried into the midst of the sea, we shall remain steadfast, like mount Zion; if we have God with us in his favour, we shall not tremble in trouble; no not; 
Dan. 3.18  with Shadrach we shall boldly face a fiery furnace, 
Dan. 6.16  and with Daniel we shall not fear the Lion's den, what hath made so many martyrs poor simple bodies, in the world's language precise fools, so courageously to affront and outface the most fearful frownings of cruel tyrants, yea, with the wings of faith to out-soare the height of all human miseries? what enabled them to suffer most horrible torments, which Captains were not able to abide? the reason was this, they walked with GOD, and their do were through God and for GOD, and therefore through God, they both did and suffered valiantly; 
Zach. 10.5  they, said Zacharie, shall fight, because the Lord is with them: that was a brave speech of Luther, 
Note.  Since I am sent for, I am resolved, and certainly determined to enter worms in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, yea though I knew there were as many devils to resist me, as there are tiles to cover the houses in worms.  
Now it is time in this time of trial fast coming, to amend our life, to be sure of God's love, to be sure of heaven after this life, that when it shall come, either to do or die for the good cause, we may through GOD either do or die most valiantly: let Zedekiahs, 
1 King. 22 11  false Prophets with their horns of iron, stout in peace, be Magor missabibs trembling, 
Jer. 20.3  fearful cowards in trouble; in the days of danger let them go from chamber to chamber, 
1 King. 22 25  to hid themselves like Rats and Mice; but let all the faithful servants of God, who have Christ for their Captain; lift up their faces in times of trouble, saying with the prophet David here, through God we shall do valiantly; he that feareth God needeth not to fear any thing; 
Psal. 23.4  though he be in th' valley of the shadow of deat● he is still under a most su●●sconce, 
Psal. 91.1  even the shadow of t● Almighty, who ever hath a eye on every hair of his hea● I exhort you all to think st● upon this, and to do as Dan● did, 
Dan. 7.28  who kept the matter in 〈◊〉 heart.   

2. The ground of David's courage.  
NOw in end it followeth that we consider the mai● ground of David's great courage it was all from the Lords doing for he it is that shall tread down enemies; neither hole nor hillo● nor rock, shall be able to hi● or shelter them.  
Hear is a Prophecy reveal unto David by him, 
Dan. 8.16  who between the banks of Vlai, declared t● vision unto Daniel; it is a prophecy of victory from God, of whom it is said here, for he it is that shall tread down our enemies; David saith not here, I and my captain Joab with the great forces of mine army, shall tread down our enemies; 
1 King. 22 11 Mich. 4.13  he saith not we shall push them down with horns of iron, or we shall thresh them with hoofs of brass; he braggeth not of his shields glittering with brightness, 
Nah. 2.4.  nor of his mighty charets of war, which seem like torches when they whirl with such fury, 
Nah. 3.2  that the fire sparketh out of their wheels; the praunsing horses, and the jumping charets are not his confidence; no not; what ever good befall, he will not sacrifice unto his own net, 
Hab. 1.16  nor yet burn incense unto his own drag, but in great wisdom maketh the Lord the doer of all; He, saith he, it is that shall tread down our enemies, Behold ho● David here endeth this Psalm of war, by giving all the glo● of the victory unto God. w● by his infinite power drive asunder the Nations, 
Hab. 3.6  and scatte●●eth the everlasting mountain and boweth the perpetual hill The Prophet Zachary speaks of Christ, the man among th● myrtle trees saith, that he sa● him as a man riding upon a r● horse; 
Zach. 1.8  by that red fiery colour, 〈◊〉 did imply his readiness to be r●●venged upon the enemies of h● Church; when he goeth again them, upon this red horse, 〈◊〉 doth to them as Jehu did to J●●sabel; 
2 King. 9 33.  he will not honour the with his hands, by overthrow●ing them by the least finger 〈◊〉 his omnipotent power, but ring over them as on horseback and tradeth them under foot, like dirt or mortar, he crusheth the by, the hoofs of his wrath, which being sore pressed down, ●ent the hardest rocks into pieces, and grind the greatest mountains into powder; He it is, saith David here, that shall tread down our enemies; thus he endeth ●he psalm by giving all the glory of the victory unto God. 
The Doctrine.   
Observe here, that it is the Lord who is the Lord of hosts, and ●he God of battles, on whose side is ever the victory; 
Psal. 62.1  God hath spoken ●nce, twice have I heard it, that power belongeth unto God; though Gideon carry a Sword to the Battle, it is the Lord that treadeth down: The Prophet Zacharie speaking of that glorious reformation of God's Church in the days of Zerubabel, said, 
Zach. 4.6  not by might, not by power but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts; it is so that David here speaketh in time of war, not by Swords, not by Spears, not by Captains, not by Horses, but it is the Lord that shall tread down our enemies it is the Lord that treadeth dow● the forces of men, that come against his Church; what army can stand before him, who mad that little stone in Daniel, 
Dan. 2.34  to grind to dust and powder the four mo●narchies of the world? Let me seek all their advantage, both o● time and place against his people, if his people trust in him the Lord shall still overthrow their enemies; After that the Isra●elites by the power of God ha● tread down the Syrians on th● mountains, the Syrians said their gods are gods of the moun●taines, 
1 King. 20 23  therefore they were stronger than we, but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they; surely they lied; for that same, God that tread them down on the mountains, overthrew them also in the plain; Israel that day was before the Syrians, but like two little flocks of Kids, 
Jer. 23.23  but the Lord who is a God at hand, and a God a fare off, made these Kids in the valleys, to run over the horses of these who said, that all his power was only upon the mountains; for in the seventh day the battle being joined, the children of Israel slew of the Syrians, a hundred thousand footmen in one day; the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand; Behold how neither hills nor valleys, can be able to defend these who are against the LORD, 
Zach. 4.7  who can make a great mountain to become a plain: the old walls of cities and of houses, the wild beasts of the mountains, yea; the very stones of the field are all in Covenant against these who are against the Lord, and his Church: Who can stand before that mighy One, before whom all the Nations are but as the drop of a bucket, or th● the small dust of a balance? Hi● presence melts the mountains, hi● voice tears the rocks, at his re●buke the greatest hills, the pil●lars of Heaven do shake; no ar●mour is at the proof of his thun●ders; the blast of his breath dis●covers the channels of waters: i● is He that maketh the Judge fools, 
Job. 12.17  
vers. 21  that poureth contempt upo● Princes, and weakeneth the strength of the Mighty: When his wrath is kindled, his arrows drink blood, his sword devoureth flesh the fire of his wrath burns t● the bottom of Hell; 
Deu. 32 22  the Heaven is his span, the Sea his handful the wings of the wind his walk his garments are light, his pavilion is darkness, his way is in the whirlwind, 
Nah. 1.3  the clouds are the dust of his feet; How easy is it to him, 
Nah. 12.10  in whose hand is the breath of all mankind, to tread down the greatest Monarches, who are all but worms and grasshoppers under the clouds, 
Nah. 1.3  the Dust of his Feet. By all this it is most evident that God is the God of Battles, the Lord of Armies; None can be able to resist him, the Defender of his Church, of whom it is here said, For he it is that shall tread down our enemies.  
The use; 
The use.  Let all our men of war learn here, to depend upon the Lord, and not to go to battle, without the Lord; they must all say to the Lord, as Barak said to Deborah, 
Jud. 4.8  If thou wilt go with me, then will I go, but if thou wilt not go with me, than I will not go; a Captain were he never so courageous, can do nothing without the Lord: an army of Samsons without God will not prevail; it was not the cutting of Samsons hair that weakened him; no not; it is said of him, 
Judg. 16.20  that he knew not that the spirit of the LORD was departed from him; when that spirit of the Lord, departs from men, men have neither heart nor hand, to do valiantly; they flee like sheep before their enemies; 
2 Chron. 18.16 Josh. 7.11  Israel hath sinned, and they also have transgressed my covenant &c, 
vers. 12  Therefore they could not stand before their enemies, said the Lord to Joshua mourning for that shameful flight of Israel, from before the men of Ai; It is only the Lord that giveth courage to men: the Lord said, 
Psal. 144.1  David teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight; only the men that come from his fence-school will be men in the day of Battle; he could make the lappers of water the smallest of the host of Israel, to do valiantly; 
Judg. 7.13  a barley cake from his hand was sufficient to overturn all the might of Midian; ●he horse, saith Solomon, 
Prov. 21.31  is prepared for the day of battle; but safety is of the LORD; all victories depend upon him: If we remain still in his favour, and keep his Covenant, though Senacherib should arise from the dead, and cover the whole land with his men, in number like the sand of the sea, though an army from Rome or Spain, with all the English Papists and Arminians, like an army of Chaldeans, 
Habak. 1.6  a bitter and hasty Nation, should march through the breadth of our land, to possess the dwellings that are not theirs, 
Habak. 1.8  though they should come with horses swifter than Leopards, and more fierce than the evening wolves, yea and flee as the Eagle that hasteth to eat: in a word, though we seem to our enemies but grasshoppers, or creeping things that have no ruler over them, 
Hab. 1.14  if we abide steadfastly in God's Covenant, the truth of my text shall not lie, He it is that shall tread down our enemies he shall make them in their fairest greenness, 
Joh. 4.7  to whither away like a Kikajon or gourd; some fearful destruction shall teach these, tha● tread in their paths, to tremble a● their end.  
Well then seeing it is the Lord and he only, that treadeth down our enemies, so that all depend wholly upon him, let us by al● means beware to offend him, le● us take good heed that we look not to the numbers of out men, as Israel did, 
Jud. 20.10  when with four hundred thousand men, they fought against the Benjamites, let us learn of their loss in all humility, to begin with fasting and prayer; let us take good heed that there be not among us an Achan, 
Jos. 7.18  that made Israel to flee from before the men of Ai, let us seek out all our sins, as carefully as Joshuah sought out Achan, as curiously as the people of Godsought out the leaven, and let us cast them away; 
Deu. 16.4  Moses said to Israel at the Passeover, There shall not be seen with thee any leaven in all thy coast, So the Lord saith to you all this day, let not your sins, your pride, your covetousness, 
Hab. 2.6  for thick clay, your riot, your drunkenness, your uncleanness, your chambering, your charmeing, your railing, your backbiting, your malice, your envy, your treachery, 
Mic. 6.10  and the scant measure which is abominable, and all other such scandalous sins whatsoever, let them no more be seen among you, 
Eph. 5.3.  This is the Apostles counsel, but fornication and uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints; If ye would have God to be with you in the day of danger, 
Ezek. 21.6  sigh now with the breaking of your loins and with bitterness, because the Lord is angry with our nation, and therefore, loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities; 
Eze. 36.31  let not your old sins abide any more in your company, let them no more be named among you, woe to the pot whose scum is in it now. 
Ezek. 24.6   
Dear beloved, strive now to redeem the time; 
Eph. 5.16  Ye may all see that the days are evil, and therefore I exhort you to keep GOD'S charge, 
Zach. 3.7  and walk circumspectly, not as fools; Let every man turn from his evil ways; Be like a people that hath made a Covenant with their God, like a people with whom God hath made a Covenant of life and peace. 
Mal. 2.5   
If we break our Covenant with God, 
Note.  which we have so solemnly sworn, we shall be more fearfully plagued then that King Vladislaus, who by the instigation of the Pope broke the League of a concluded Peace with Amurah the Turkish Emperor, he swearing upon the Evangelists, and the the other by his Ambassadors, upon their Turkish Koran; when the Turk saw the Battle joined, and remembered the Christians perfidy, in breaking their Covenant with him, he plucked the writing out of his bosom, wherein the League was written, and holding it up in his hand, with his eyes cast up to Heaven, said after this manner, Behold, thou crucified Christ, 
Hist. of the Turks, pag. 297.  this is the League thy Christians in thy Name made with me, which they have without cause violated, now if thou be a God, as they say thou art, and as we dream, revenge the wrong now done unto thy name and me, and show thy power upon thy perjured people, who in their deeds deny thee their God.  
In that bloody battle of Varna as the history records, Certatum est totos dies, noctesqu●tres, diu fortuna ancipiti, sed tanto animorum ardore utrinque, tantoque impetu, ut caesorum san●guine campi stagnarem.  
That is, the space of three days and three nights this bloody bat●tell continued, so that the field where it was fought was turned into a pool of blood.  
If such shame and calamities befell the Christians, for breaking their League with an Infidel, wha● worlds of misery shall come upo● this Nation, if we (like the dog returning to his vomit) break the Covenant which we have so solemnly made with our GOD? 
1 Pet. 2.22  Doubtless all the miseries that ever came upon a Nation shall have their Rendezvous here; famine, pestilence and war shall not fail to revenge the quarrel of God's Covenant: By famine God shall make these who are now like Nazarites, whiter than milk, 
Lam. 4.7  to become dry like a stick, and blacker than a coal; by pestilence we shall fall down in heaps; by war we shall be abolished; like Jabin in Endor our bodies shall become dung on the Earth; 
Psal. 83.9  Our Land shall be an Aceldama, a field of blood, a land of bloody pools.  
And therefore, O Scotland, if thou would henceforth be under a mighty Ministry, a Goshen for God, a land of life of light, and liberty, free of all the damned mists of the doctrines of Devils, if thou would be free of a Service Book, Rome's yoke, and of all the Ceremonial Clouts of that varnished Whore, if thou woul● have God as it is in my text, t● tread down all thine enemies, for sake not the Covenant of thy Go● break never thy league made wi● him, have no fellowship with th● unfruitful works of darkness but walk as Children of light, Ab●horre all idolatry, 
Mic. 6.16  the statute of Omri, and return to the anc●●ent paths, 
Jer. 18.15  let the Lord no mor● have a controversy with the inha●bitants of the land; 
Hos 4.1  then shall y● see that the Lord shall work great work in this land; 
Habak. 3.2  according to Habakkuks' prayer, he sha● revive the work in the midst of t● years; Our nation shall find that GOD'S mercy is not dead though our armies in the eyes o● our enemies, 
1 King. 20 27 Judg. 7.5 Amo. 5.15  seem but like litt● flocks of Kids, or weak like gideon's lappers of waters, if ou● ways please the Lord, the Lor● shall be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph; One of these shall come to pass.  
Either which we desire most, God in a melting temper shall convert our enemies, and make an incorporation of them unto us, like the two sticks of Israel and Judah, 
Eze. 37.17  who were joined one to another into one stick, being no more divided in profession, which Oh that we might register in the catalogue of his favours.  
Or if not so, the LORD shall change the minds of our enemies as he did to Esau, 
Gen. 33.4  and shall make them that come against us to embrace us, as brethren of one Isle, though not in Religion.  
Or if not so, the Lord by some foreign enemy shall turn them away, 
1 Sam. 23 27.  as he turned Saul from David, by sending the Philistines against the land.  
Or if not so, he shall make them fight one against another, as he did to the Midianites, whose bodies were all gore blood, by mutual wounds.  
Or if not so, if he permit ou● armies to join, which the Lor● avert, after that by many fast and prayers, we have laid dow● our bleeding hearts in his bosom, and by ardent desires hav● poured out our soul's befor● him, we in the Name o● our God will set up our Banners The Lord being with us, 
Psal. 20.5  ou● Captains shall be swifter the Eagles and stronger than Lions our soldiers shall not say, 
2 Sam. 1 23  I a● sick; 
Isa. 33.24  the Lord himself shall b● Scotland's great General, he sha● give us help from trouble; he is that shall tread down our en●●mies, Gog and Magog, papis● and Arminians, brethren in evil the combined friends of man rotten righteousness; he als● shall tread down their gods, thei● Moloch and Chion their images, 
Amos 5.25. Act. 7.43  the star of their god Remphan, their gods of stock and stone, with all their gods baken in the Oven; 
Hos. 4.7  the LORD shall change their glory into shame; the world shall hear it and shall wonder.  
But as for us, the children of his Covenant, if we be not unstable as water, 
Gen. 49.4  but steadfast in that Covenant, if we abide in the bond of love, like Scilurus arrows in a sheaf, the Lord shall bless us, our Gospel shall flourish, our land shall be fruitful and blossom as the rose, 
Isa. 35.1  our church shall be most orient and glorious, ●ike a hill of pearls, a Crystal mountain, or a rock of Daimonds'; then shall our hearts be filled with joy, and our mouths with laughter; Moses and Miriam, both men and women, shall most sweetly sing these words of triumph, 
Exod. 15.3  The LORD is a man of war, who hath set his triumphing foot upon the neck of a● his enemies, as upon his va●●quished vassals.  

1 Tim. 1.17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise GOD, be honour and glory for ever, and ever, AMEN.     

A SERMON FOR A BATTLE:  Isa. 9.5. Every Battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood. Exod. 15.3. The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his Name. Psal. 18.34. He teacheth my hand to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 
By M. Zacharie Boyd, Preacher of God's word at Glasgow.  
Printed at Glasgow by George Anderson, 1643.   

POST FUNERA VIRTUS VIVET TAMEN ETSI MORS, INDIES ACCELERAT   

A SERMON FOR A BATTLE:  Psal. 17.13. Arise O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down; deliver my soul from the wicked with thy Sword. 
THE Prophet David made this Psalm, in the days of his great troubles, while he was hunted, 
1 Sam. 26 20. 1 Sam. 23 14.  from place to place, like a partridge or a flea; his danger was great in Keilah, from Keilah he fled unto the wilderness of Ziph, 
verse 14  where being discovered by the Ziphites, he fled unto the wilderness of Maon, where he abode on a rock; there also David made haste to get away, for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men there had compassed David and his men round about to take them; behold how man's wrath runs like wildfire, but even while David's life was in his hand, there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, haste thee and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land; wherefore Saul returned from pursueing after David for which cause that place was called Selah Hammahlekoth, 
1 Sam. 23 28  that is, the rock of division; because there the Lord did separate Saul from David; these dangers were the occasion of the composing of this Psalm, wherein David most earnestly seeketh God's assistance against the price, craft, and cruelty, of his enemies: David in this psalm is like the Nightingale which singeth most sweetly, though she have a thorn against her breast.  

The division of the Psalm.  
THe parts of the Psalm are three; In the first part from the beginning, until the tenth verse, the royal Prophet David in confidence of his integrity, craveth defence of God against all his enemies; In the second part, from the tenth verse, until the thirtenth, he declareth their pride, craft, and cruelty, comparing them to Lions, greedy of their prey; In the third part, from the thirteenth verse, until the end, he prayeth against them with great confidence in God.   

The division of the text.  
IN this text (which is a prayer of David to God against his persecuters) there be two parts; In the first part, we have him to whom the prayer i● directed, it is the Lord, Arise O Lord etc. In the second part we have the petitions of his prayer, which are four in number. 1. Arise. 2. Disappoint him. 3. Cast him down; 4. Deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy Sword; Let us now come to the gloss and interpretation of every part of the text.   

I. PART. To whom the Prophet here maketh his Prayer.  
HE to whom the Prophet here maketh his prayer, is the Lord, Arise, O Lord.  
Observe here the wisdom of David; when he is in distress, 
The doctrine.  he goeth to the right hand, even directly to the Lord; As for Abraham he knew him not, and therefore he spoke not a word to Abraham, to Jsaac, or Jacob, 
Psal. 73.25  in any of his troubles: whom have I in heaven but thee? was his saying unto God.  
The 1. use; 
The 1 use.  Let us learn here in whom to trust at all times; it is in the LORD; All other things whatsoever will fail, but the Lord faileth never; Some helpers fail in will; though they may, they will not; and some fail in power, though they will, they may not, but the Lord is sure on all sides; there is nothing that may do us good, but God is able to do it; look how able he is in power, he is as willing for our well; If we want any thing that we desire, it is either because we ask it not, 
Jam. 4.3  or because we ask amiss, that we may consume it upon our lusts, or because what we ask, is not expedient for us; we often seek from God, and weep for things which we would have, as children, weep for knives, which their parents will not give unto them, because they would be hurtful unto them: Many of God's children have crying desires for wheat, 
Psal. 4.6  wine, and oil, this world's wealth and ease, but God knows that many would be hurt thereby, and therefore grants not unto them their desires; The Lord forbidden that God had suffered us to get our hearts desire at all times; the best of us had been in hell ere now, if God had given us all our will; a years peace or plenty, O what a change maketh it among a people! O how hurtful is it to the souls of many, who (crammed with hypocrisy) can crack of piety, and soldier their graceless do with great ostentation.  
The 2. use; 
The 2 use.  Let this serve for reproof to Papists, who all slabbered in the dirt of man's inventions most foolishly, distrusting GOD'S good will, 
Jon. 2.8  forsake their own mercy; in steed of crying to the LORD, they court the L●dy Mary, which is their Queen of heaven, 
Isa. 44.7  they also run from God to the Saints, as though they had a greater regard unto us, or loved us better than God; If we had done the thousand parts of the wrongs to them that we have done unto God, though they had been our fathers, and our mothers, they had all cursed us, 
Gen. 9.25  as Noah did to Cham; Cham, so fare as I can read, had but once scorned his father, and for that once his father cursed him, but we have ten thousand times scorned God, and yet he hath blessed us, and blesseth us still; His ways are not our ways, 
Isa. 55 8  and his thoughts are not our thoughts, for as fare as the heavens are above the earth, as fare are his ways above our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts, so it is of his mercy and love; 
Isa 49.15  though a mother forget her child, the Lord can not forget his children; thus they who go to others then to God are deceived; as if men not content with the light of the Sun, would go to seek light from the Moon, who hath all her light from the Sun; Of all such God may well say, as he said in the days of Jeremiah, 
Jer. 2.27  they have turned the back and not the face; Jonah marketh such with this black blot, 
Jonah 2.8  These that observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercy; It was not so great a wonder under the law to see men idolaters, 
Cant. 2.9  because then Christ but looked out at a window, and shown himself through a lattesse darkly, but O now in his Gospel he come out at doors clear● with, Behold me, Behold me: ● for us, let our refuge in all di●esses be to God, and Christ his Son, 
john 17.3  this is life eternal said Christ in his prayer; only Christ is Mediator, only by him our prayers are heard; many Pagans did excel in moral things, but because they knew not Christ, they could not find the door of heaven; this made a father to say of that great Philosopher Aristotle, 
August. Vae tibi Aristoteles, laudaris ubi non es, & damnaris ubi es.  Woe to thee, O Aristotle, who art commended where thou art not, and condemned where thou art   

The second Part. The Prayer.  
WE have heard unto whom the Prophet here maketh his prayer, it is unto the Lord now let us consider the prayer i● self; Arise, disappoint him, ca● him down, deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword; I● this prayer there be four petitions, 1. Arise 2 Disappoint him. 3. Cast him down. 4. Deliver my soul from the wicked wit● thy sword; 
Angustiati animi suspiria.  one calleth well these four petitions, the groans of soul in a great strait.  

The first Petition. Arise.  
THe first thing that the Psalmist here requireth of the Lord, is that he would Arise, and make him ready for his help, Arise O LORD.  
When God for causes known to himself, delays his help, he seemeth to his servants, to be like a man lying or sleeping; Hence are all these forms of speeches of the godly, Arise, 
Psal. 3.7  O Lord, save me; 
Psal. 10.1  why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? Again, Arise O Lord, 
Psal. 10.12  O God lift up thine hand; forget not the humble; Again, Awake, 
Psal. 44.23  why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever: again, 
vers. 26  Arise, for our help, for thy mercy's sake, the Scriptures are full of Arise, and awake, which distressed men cry unto God, whil● he delays to help them.  

The doctrine.  Observe here first, that Go● cometh not ever at the first un●to his servants in their afflictions he will have them to taste, ye● whiles to drink of the bitter cup before he let it pass from them that afterward they may th● better taste and see how good 〈◊〉 the LORD, 
Psal. 34.8  when he hath delivered them; 
Cum differt auxilium videtur Deus sedere otiosus. Isa. 26.16  God sometime will seem to his servants very careless of their misery, as i● he were a man lain down to sleep; but all that is to stir up the hearts of his servants, to cry the more mightily unto him and also to let them see their own weakness of faith, and how that without him they can do nothing; for these ends Christ would sleep in the ship in time of tempest, 
Mat. 8.25  when all was in greatest danger to perish.  
The use; 
The use.  If when we are in calamity either private or public, the Lord seem to delay his help and to neglect us, let us not despare of his mercy, but let us cry the more earnestly, help O Lord; though he seem to our weak judgement to be sleeping, he is not like Baal, of whom (by way of scorn) Elijah said to his Priests crying a loud to him in their prayers, 
1 King. 18 27  Cry a loud; for he is a God, either he is talken or he is pursueing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked; our GOD sleepeth not; he that keepeth Israel will not slumber; 
Psal. 121.3  he never lieth down, he is never wearied in waiting upon us, for to do us good, there is no need of a drum, of five hour bell, to waken him in the morning.  
Again whereas the servant of God here in his fear crieth to the Lord, Arise, I observ● that there is weakness in th● best of God's servants; they often in their troubles have bas● thoughts of God; it is a very base thing to think that Go● is wearied; or that he is lye● down to rest him, or that h● hath not will to arise, until w● rouse him up by our cries: Se● we not these great bodies of th● heavens turned about both night and day, with an unspeakabl● swiftness? it is God's arm tha● turneth them all about: the grea● body of the earth hath no other groundstone, but his Almighty power; what I pray you hath still so constantly borne up that great mass, these so many thousand years? only God's arm, and yet he is not wearied; he seeketh not our help to turn about these heavenly wheels, or to ease him under the burden of the whole earth: it is but a very base thought to think that the Lord is lain down to rest him, that afterward he may arise.  
The use; 
The use.  Let us learn to have great thoughts of God, concerning his power and good will: What is impossible to him who is able to make a Camel to pass thorough a needle's eye? 
Mark. 10 25  what will he not do for us, who gave his own Son to the death for us? when we pray, we may be sure that he will hear; To him we may well say, LORD thou can, if thou wilt, nay Lord, thou both can and wilt, if it be for thy glory and our well, if we think otherwise we may well say, this is our infirmity.   

The second Petition. Disappoint him.  
AFter that the Prophet hat● desired the Lord to arise which is the first degree of his de●liverance, he requireth that th● Lord would disappoint King Saul and all the rest of his enemies saul's Doegs and dogs, whom h● includeth all under the word hi● and that because they were join all together like one man in the malice, against David the servan● of the Lord.  

The doctrine.  First, whereas here he calls all his enemies him, as one man, fo● their banding together, I observ● the great policy of the Devil who by all means possible, en●deavoures to keep his servants i● unity, that they may all do evi● together, as it were with one shoul●der, for he knoweth, that if hi● Kingdom were divided, it could not stand; I read in Scripture o● Michael and his angels, 
Rev. 12.7  fight ●gainst the Devil and his angels, but ● can not read in any part of one Devil fight against another; ●hey are all guided by one Spirit, ●nd have all their minds one way ●ent to do evil; though they may be called legion, for their ●udge great number, for the way ●o Hell hath great store of passengers, yet they all agree, and go ●s it were one Devil, ready with ●oth hands to do a mischief.  
The use: 
The use.  Let us by the practice of the wicked learne to abide together, and to be all (as it were) ●ne man; it is GOD'S will, 
Judg. 20.8  it is God's commandment, that we love one another; 
Joh. 15.17  Silurus a little before his death called all his children, and offered unto them a sheaf of arrows knit together, desiring any of them to break them which when they could not, he divided the arrows and gave unto them one after another to be broken, which they broke easily; After that, he said unto them, So shall it be with you, if ye abide together in unity, none shall be able to overcome you, but if ye be divided, ye shall easily be overthrown.  
Now let us consider what the Prophet here requires, it is that God would disappoint his enemies. 
Antevertere anticipare.  The Hebrew word is Kiddam, which properly signifieth to prevent, or disappoint, for he that is prevented, is also disappointed: All saul's designs were how to trap David for to kill him; David's prayer here is, that the Lord would disappoint him, or according as it is in the Hebrew, 
Kaddemah panau. The doctrine.  that he would prevent his face.  
Observe here, that great men may intent great matters against God's servants, but there is a great God in heaven who can easily disappoint them, whiles by wisdom, and whiles by strength; As for his wisdom, 
Dan. 2.22  he understandeth all things; Daniel saith, that the light dwelleth with him; he is infinitely wise to prevent or avert: peril, or to rid us out of danger. When King Saul intended to kill David in his bed, the Lord by his wisdom delivered him, by directing Michal his wife, to lay an image in his bed, 
1 Sam. 19 13  having a pillow of goat's hair for his bolster, so when saul's servants came to take him, they were disappointed, they found nothing in the bed, but a Teraphim, an image with a pillow of goat's hair; As by wisdom, so the LORD can by strength disappoint his enemies; when the Philistines called for Samson to make them sport, 
Jud. 16.25  the Lord put a new strength in that blind man, whereby he drew down the house upon his enemies, who got death for their sport, and so were disappointed; In this land at home, we have proofs sufficient of God disappointing our enemies; In the eighty eight year, there was nothing in Spain to be heard, but a glorious victory against Britain, Have they not sped? 
Jud. 5.30  have they not divided the prey, to every man a damosel or two? said the Spanish Ladies, with the mother of Sisera; All our possessions were appointed for that barbarous and cruel nation, but God disappointed them; All their bragging was at last turned into b●gging, the Lord made them beggars in our land: After that deliverance, the Papists intended, with six and thirty barrels of powder under the Parliament house, to blow up all the Royal Blood, with the flower of all our Nobility and Counselors, and after that, 
MISSA massa farinaria.  to set up their Dagon of dough, but the Lord by his wonderful wisdom disappointed them; After that, the enemies of Christ's Gospel have been still undermining this poor Church, under a covering of ceremonies; but when they were almost come to the cope of their desires, even to give us the Mass clothed with an English coat, most cunningly, woven from the top throughout, with juggling words, words of two faces like the Oracles of Apollo, which one way had a sense for God's glory, but another way a sense for to make Christ jesus a dumb and a deaf idol, that all this nation at last should be partly enticed, partly constrained to return, to worship a god of bread, which can not defend himself from the teeth of a Mouse; When this was almost achieved and done, the Lord in a most wonderful manner disappointed them; After that, they gathered their forces by Sea and Land to do by violence, what they could not perform by wiles; the Lord (and not we) disappointed them; the Lord (blessed for evermore) at Dunce-hill, 
Har-ezer mons adjutorij.  the hill of help, and at Newburne wrought their disappointment; East, West, South, North the Lord hath done great things for us; the LORDS hand hath been seen by Sea and by Land: Except our enemy's hearts be harder than the heart of Pharaoh, they must confess, and say with Pharaohs Magicians, 
Exod. 8.19  This is the finger of GOD.  

The 1 use.  The 1 use Let us learn here to trust in God, in greatest dangers; even when there is nothing, but confufed noise, 
Isa. 9.5  with garments rolled in blood, though our enemies were never so strong, our God is able to disappoint all their designs; he will not suffer any weapons to prosper that are lifted up against his servants; if we can stand still with the foot of faith, 
Exod. 14 13  we shall not fail to see the Salvation of the Lord: 
Psal. 23.4  In the valley of the shadow of death, we shall not need ro fear any evil; for he shall be with us; 
Exod. 15.3  the Lord, said Moses, is a man of war; and therefore let not our hearts tremble for the boast of men, who are but like dogs barking at the Moon; it is but little or nothing that man can do; What is he worth? 
Isa. 2.22  wherein is he to be accounted of? the Lord can easily disappoint all his designs; Let GOD arise, 
Psal. 68.1  and his enemies shall be scattered: These that hate him shall flee before him; As smoke is driven away, so shall the Lord drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God.  

The 2 use  The second use, When the enemies of God are strong, and are in plotting great designs against GOD'S inheritance, let us here learn how to pray to God; let us take unto us words even these words of this text, Arise, O Lord, and disappoint them: If we cry unto the Lord, Arise, the Lord shall not fail to answer, Now will I arise, 
Isa. 33.10  saith the Lord; When He is risen he will work wonders; 
Isa. 33.11  Mine enemies, saith He, shall conceive chaff, and bring forth stubble; thus all their counsels shall be but a conception of chaff, and when their designs are ready to be borne, they shall be but children of stubble; David in the second Psalm considering how God maketh the counsels, the conceptions of wicked men to be but false conceptions, cried out, 
Psal. 2.1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? the word in the Hebrew, signifieth a trifle, 
RIK inane.  or emptiness, a nothing; He also there scorneth the vain Kings and Rulers of the earth, and that because they take counsel against Christ; He that sitteth in the heavens, saith He, shall laugh, 
Psal. 2.4  the Lord shall have them in derision; After that for a space he hath laughen at their folly, he will break them with a rod of iron, 
vers. 9  and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel: Thus the LORD bringeth down the plots and designs of high-towring ambitious wicked men; Behold a real disappointment; where now I pray you will all their designs, and their boasts, and their armies be, when the Lord hath broken them all into Shards like an old pitcher? Behold the men that would but burn and slay; Behold the men tha● would have all their will; Behold the men that would neither be● ruled by God's law nor Man's law but by their own wilful wills the LORD hath thrown the● down, the evil they would hav● done, it lay not in their heart's o● hands to do it; the LORD hath tread them down, he hat● wounded the head of his enemies and the hairy scalps of such a go on still in their trespasses they are nothing but like a broken sheard; 
Psal. 68.21  Behold them bridled by the power of this grea● LORD, who according to the prayer of his servant, here hath clearly before the eyes of the world disappointed them; Let railing Rabshakehs not only boast men, but also GOD himself with, where is the god of thi● place, 
2 King. 18 34  and the god of that place● the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad, the gods of Sepharvaim, Henah, and Juah? Let great men with Rabshakeh, threaten to cause God's people eat their own dung, 
2 King. 18 27  and drink their own piss, but the LORD hath hooks for their nose, 
2 King. 19 28  and bridles for their lips, for to turn them back from their course: He shall so cross their designs, that they shall go away disappointed with shame and disgrace; 
Jos. 5.14  Christ the Captain of the Lords 〈◊〉 is all fire, for the glory of 〈◊〉 Father and the well of his ●●●rch: his zeal was such that it did eat him up; 
Joh. 2.17  but alas for our heart it is but like a cold sinder in our bosom.   

The third Petition. Cast him down.  
NOw it followeth, that we hear David's third petition; Cast him down.  
The Prophet here in his prayer goeth on as Abraham did in hi● request for Sodom; He sought ay● more and more, first that Go● for fifties sake, 
Gen. 18.24  would spare th● Cities, 
28  Secondly that for fiv● and fourties sake, 
29  Thirdly, tha● for fourties sake, Fourthly tha● for thirty sake, 
30  Fiftly that fo● twenties sake, 
31  
32  Sixtly and last that for ten sake he woul● spare all the rest; So David fir● here entreated God but to arise After that, he desired God to do more, even to disappoint his enemies; Thirdly here he desireth more that the Lord would hurl● and cast down his adversaries.  

The doctrine.  Observe here, what it is to be once familiar with God; Th● more a man be acquaint with God he groweth in boldness in hi● suits: the prayers of a Christian must not be dwarves, still i● one stature; They must grow up ●nd be enlarged; A man before ●e hath tried God's love and liberality will but seek small things ●rom him: But assoon as he hath ●een these Oceans of mercies, that ●re in God's widest bowels, he will seek, and seek ay more and more; When ever he looks upon God, he sees a full hand ready ●o give, he hears a mouth of mercy, crying unto him, 
Psal. 81.10  Open thy mouth very wide and I will fill ●t unto thee: It is not possible that man that is not acquaint with God, can imagine how loving ●nd liberal the Lord is; for this ●ause, the wicked who are thick ●ghted, and by false spectacles ●ee him but a fare in the works ●f the Creation, but not near ●n Christ, seek nothing from God but earthly things, 
Psal. 4.6  as wheat wine, and oil; When they are ●ull of these things, like a horse, ● dog, or a cow that is full of meat, they lie down to sleep, and seek no more; Such me● are but beasts who know no● what good things the LORD hath in his treasures for his Children If they get the earth, and earthly things, they rest content, singing a Requiem to their souls with that fool in the Gospel, who bade his soul eat, 
Luke 12.19  drink, an● be merry, because he had provided much for it, 
Est aliquid quod in ipsis floribus angat. Jon. 4.7.  and that fo● many years: This joy lasteth not; The flower of it hath ● worm, like Jonahs' gourd, it wil● anon whither and pass away.  

The use.  The use; Let us be careful to know GOD, and his goodness; If we were once well acquaint with him in our prayers, we should wonder what a boldness should enter into ou● hearts to go to GOD, and to seek, and seek ay more and more. If he see our hearts honest, if we speak to him with sense and feeling, 
Psal. 109.164.  though seven ●imes a day, he will never say ●o us, 
Mal. 2.7.  as he saith to Papists ba●ling on their beeds, ye weary ●e with your words; No not, he is so glad of our conference ●hat he hath commanded us to ●ray continually. 
1 Thess. 5.16.  Ye cannot believe the half of that which I ●ay, until ye make proof and ●ake a trial of that which ye hear: O the unspeakable kindness of God; When the Queen of Sheba, who had heard much of Solomon's glory, came herself and saw, She said, that the report which She had heard of him was ●rue, and that She could not believe the words, until her eyes had seen it; But behold, said She, 
1 King. 10 7  ●he half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard: Much more may this be said in things pertaining to God; the tongue of Angels can not express th● half of God's goodwill toward the sons of men; David kne● this, and therefore he most earnestly exhorted all the godly, t● get knowledge of God's goodness by their own experience O taste and see how good is the LORD; 
Psal. 34.8.  O but God's childre● are dear to him, Oh that the● were dearer to us than they are Alas, beasts and fowls, hawk and hounds, are more dear to many, than the dearest children o● God; Julius Caesar perceiving women bearing little dogs under thei● arms, enquired if they had n● children; So it may be inquire of many, that with great coa● feed fowls and beasts for thei● pleasure, if GOD have no chi●●dren for their charity; But O though men contemn such, y● are they dear to GOD, yea, s● that the more familiar they be with him, they are the more welcome; The more they seek, they come the better speed: Yea, he is willing that they lean and ●est upon him, so that others seeing this, 
Cant. 8.5  may wonder at such a familiarity, and say, who is this coming up from the wilderness, ●eaning upon her well-beloved?  
Now let us consider the petition itself; it is in these words, Cast him down; The Hebrew word Carang, signifieth proper●y to bow, to throw down with ●reat violence; The Psalmist ●eaking of these gluttons among ●e Israelites that cried for flesh, ●aith, that after they were filled, ●he wrath of GOD came down ●pon them; 
Pal. 78.31  and smote down the choose men of Israel, The original word there signifieth, that he made them to bow, or that he ●hrew them down when a man falleth in a battle, or any way 〈◊〉 death, he boweth down; This that which David here desire the Lord to do to his enemies who could not be diverted fro● their malicious purpose, even th● he would bow them down by h● strong and mighty arm.  

The doctrine.  Observe here, what the Lor● both can and will do to the en●●mies of his servants: he will no fail to cast them down; This that which David here require This is the prayer of the Church when the godly are persecuted b● malicious men, who will not 〈◊〉 recalled; God is a hearer of prayers; he will not fail to thro● down to the ground, all these th● maliciously set their face again him; If ye would have a pro● of this, hear the speeches of Go● and of the proud King of Barnes who smote God's people in wra● with a continual stroke; I, sa● that King, will ascend into heaven: 
Isa. 14.13  I will exalt n● throne above the Stars of God, that is, I will do what I please, let God say what he liketh, but he lied: But what said the Lord? 
vers. 15.  the Lord spoke truth, Thou shalt be brought down to hell, I shall cast thee down; A man what ever he be, if once the Lord in wrath lay hands upon him, shall be cast down, yea, down to the earth, yea, down to the hells, yea, so down, that he shall never be able to rise again, I will overturn, overturn, 
Eze. 21.27  overturn, said the LORD. 
The 1 use.   
The first use: Let this serve for instruction to great men, as Emperors, Kings, and Princes; let such bewarre, according to Gamaleels counsel, 
Act. 5.39  to fight against GOD. They for a space in the pride of their hearts may ruffle, and strut, like Nabuchadnezzar, in his palace, with, 
Dan. 4.30  Is not this great Babel? yea, some will boast Go● himself with Pharaoh, saying who is the LORD? 
Exod. 5.2.  but such 〈◊〉 all their greatest grandour, are bu● like Chessemen, which have som● prerogatives upon the Chesseboard but O when the game is ended death shuffleth both the King and the Pawn into one bag: wit● God is no respect of persons; h● careth neither for King nor Kes●● if they proudly repine against hi● Majesty; 
Psal. 20.12  when his wrath is kindled but a little, 
Eze. 21.27  he will overturn▪ overturn, overturn, their royal estates, break their sceptres into pieces, make their crown like the chaff of the Summer threshing floor. David a King knowing this, that sceptres and crowns when GOD is provoked, are no● Thunder-proof, gave unto al● Kings his counsel concerning this; For after that he had spoken of the great power of God, in breaking his most mighty enemies with a bar of iron, as though they were the vessels of a potter, he cried out this notable watchword, 
Psal. 2.10.  Be wise therefore O ye Kings, etc. Serve the LORD with fear; Kiss the Son lest he be angry; If ye do it not, ye shall all perish from the way, by the sharpened keen edge of his justice, when his wrath is kindled but a little. All things, would he say, shall then turn enemies to you; All the creatures, both Angels and Men shall hate you, the Devils shall accuse you, and Christ shall judge you, O then may be said, 
Anselm. Heu miser! sic deprehensus, quo fugias? latere erit impossibile apparere in tolerabile.  O wretch whither wilt thou flee while thou art thus surprised? for neither may thou lurk, neither dare thou appear; This is said to thee, who in great pomp marchest with thy train, a proud enemy of God and his Gospel; For a time the LORD may suffer thee in thy caroche, to be gloriously whirled through the streets, but tarry a little and God at last shall make of thee a footboy, to run before a promoted Mord●cai.  

The 2 use  The second use; Let this serve for comfort to God's children, when they are threatened with death by mighty Monarches, because like Shadrach and his fellows they will not worship an idol like that which was by King Nabuchadnezzar, 
Dan. 3.1  set up in the field of Durah: Let us remember well what these children, 
Dan. 3.28  who changed the King's word, and yielded their bodies, said to that King threatening them with death, if they would not worship his idol, Our God whom we serve, 
Dan. 3.17  said they, is able to deliver us: without his permission; all the potentates of the earth can not make a hair to fall from our head; though for a time they trouble us, at last the Lord shall come and cast them down; Yea, and drown them in a whirlpool of his wrath, where no cork shall be able to bear them aloft, were they Kings, if they persecute God's Saints, at last the Lord shall cast them down; So at last, 
1 Sam. 31 4. 1 King. 22 35. Dan. 5.6  he cast down King Saul upon Gilboah, and he cast down King Ahab in his bloody chariot, and he cast down King Bellhazzar, fitting among his whores; he cast down that great Alexander, that vain man, 
Dan. 12.13  that could not with Daniel, rest and stand in the lot, content with his station, but whined for lack of elbow room, because there was not another world; The LORD made a short coffin to contain him, whom a whole world could not content: Behold all the Emperors in Nebuchadnezars image which he saw in his sleep; Behold there the golden head of the Chaldeans, the silver breast of the Persians, the brazen belly of the Grecians, and the iron legs of the Romans; But O again, behold a little stone cut out of the quarry of heaven without hand, even Christ jesus the great Captain of Salvation, 
Heb. 2.10  who smote that image on the feet, so that all these Emperors with their Crowns and Sceptres, 
Dan. 1.22  became like the chaff of the Summer threshing floors. Neither their Sceptres, nor their Crowns, nor their Guards, nor their Armies can uphold them, when the LORD cometh to cast them down; All their armies become like these keepers about Christ's grave, who for fear at his resurrection, 
Mat. 28.4  became as dead men. The Lord God is against them, to justle with them in his wrath, and therefore they carry hell, even a trembling heart in their bosom, and the brand of vengeance in their foreheads, the shrewd wages of their wickedness; Let these observations stand for our comfort.  
The third use, 
The 3 use  Seeing the Lord is so powerful to cast down Princes, and Potentates, let this serve for reproof to these, who can not trust in God, but tremble like aspen leaves, when they see the great forces of men, or hear of them; Such are not fit for Christ's wars; they gladly would dwell on Tabor with him, sitting between Moses and Elias, but forsake him at Calvarie, hanging between two Thiefs; they like well his robs of glory, but abhor his rags of poverty, Hosanna hath a sweet sound in their ears, but anon they shrink back at these bitter bloody cries, of Crucify, Crucify; Israel had never conquered Canaan, if they had been fearfully afraid of the sons of Anak: Away with men that will not believe, except they touch and see; Such men's understandings are led by their senses, they give more trust to their eyes, 
Plus oculo quam oraculo.  then to the word of promise; if we could rightly fear God, if we had but the least grain of faith, we would never fear things that have their breath in their nostrils: 
Isa. 2.22  What is man that he should be feared? what can he do, though he had permission to do all that is in his power? he can but kill the body, and so send us home to our Lord: If men kill us not, a fever or a flux, or a Cancer, as well as a Canon, or one of a thousand diseases, will come and take away our life: If we did truly fear God, the terrors of men would not trouble us much; But because we are negligent in prayer, and in prying into the heavens, for to know what store of joy and contentments are there, therefore when a word of death or danger is heard we are like that Pashur, whom Jeremy called Magor-Missabib, that is, fear round about; 
Jer. 20.3  lie upon us, that any thing should be able to affright us, unto whom the Lord hath made so fair promises, that he will be unto us, a shield, and a shadow, a Sconce, a strong tower, and a fortress, a hedge, a wall of fire, and of brass; Is any man stronger than God▪ If any Prince can be found that can cast down God, let us tremble and shake; If any other God can be found to whom a man may say, in the words of may text, Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down, then let us tremble and go with Zedekiah from chamber to chamber for to hid ourselves; But this God of my text is the only true GOD; He is the God of gods; when he is angry, he casteth down the gods, as he threw down the Philistines Dagon, 
1 Sam. 5.13  and did execute judgement against all the gods of Egypt; 
Exo. 12.12  this our Lord at last shall bring a black day upon all the wicked, the enemies of his Church; their groans in hell shall honour his justice, so well as the songs in Heaven shall glorify his mercy; Now their conscience is like a clock when the poise is down, the wheels are without motion, all is quiet, there is no noise in the heart; but O as soon as the LORD shall set their wheels on work, and waken them out of their unhappy dream, then shall their heart break, and their tongue confess, and their Eyes weep, and their Hearts wring with these doleful desperate cries, 
Rev. 6.16  Rocks and Mountains fall upon us; this shall be most sweet music in the Ears of the Godly, whom they in the world did tread under feet, as most contemptible dongue.   

The fourth Petition: Deliver my soul from the wicked, with thy Sword.  
THE fourth petition is contained in these words, Deliver my soul from the wicked with thy sword; In this petition David seeketh his life from God; deliver my soul, that is save my life; Because it is by the soul that we live, the life is called the soul, For when once the soul is removed from the body, the life tarrieth no longer.  
In this petition also may well be included, a holy desire for a spiritual deliverance of his soul from sin and Satan, his spiritual enemies; for doubtless whe● the enemies of the body are busy seeking our life, the Dive● like a roaring Lion, 
1 Pet. 5.8.  seeketh us most earnestly that when we ar● slain, he may get our souls; Satan is most vigilant and busy t● cause Battles of blood, that whe● men's bodies are slain in an evils quarrel, he may get many souls And therefore this should at a times be the man of wars ejaculatory prayer, O Lord deliver my soul from the wicked wi● thy sword; This is for the preservation both of soul and body.  
The words of this petition are diversely interpreted; Some esteem that the wicked here are called the Sword of God, 
Qui tibi vice gladii est.  that is in steed of a Sword: thus all the means of men's destruction are the Lords Sword; According to this, 
Isa. 66.16  Isaiah saith, that by fire and sword, the Lord will plead with all flesh; The same Prophet in another place, saith, 
Isa. 27.1  that the Lord with his sore and great and strong Sword, will punish Leviathan: The Prophet Jeremiah cryeth out, O thou Sword of the Lord, 
Jer. 47.6.  how long will't it be ere thou be quiet? 
Zeph. 2.12  The Lord in Zephaniah said to the Ethiopians, ye shall be slain by my Sword; According to this interpretation, all means that God useth either to afflict his children, or to destroy the wicked, are called his Sword; In this sense, the wicked in my text according to the new Translation, are called God's Sword, deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy Sword, that is, the instrument of thy correction.  
Other interpret the words after this manner, deliver my soul from the wicked with thy Sword; In the Hebrew there is only thy Sword, for with thy Sword, The Chaldee hath, 
Charbecha for Becharbecha.  who deserveth to be slain by thy Sword; the Greek▪ gloss hath using thy Sword against him.  
The sense of the whole petition is this, that the Lord would deliliver his life from the wicked, which are the Sword or rod of his wrath; 
Isa. 10.5  Or that by his Sword, he would destroy the wicked, and so deliver his soul or his life; this last interpretation seemeth best, for it is more likely, that David here desireth the Lord to deliver his soul from the wicked, with his Sword, then that the wicked are GOD'S Sword▪ against him, for in this Psalm he pleadeth for his own innocency, in all that concerned his enemies; I confess, that if we look to God in our affections, though we be most unjustly wronged by men, yet the Lord is ever righteous and most justly, may with the wicked as with a rod scourge us for our trespasses against him; both interpretations are good.  
Now to come to the petition, Deliver my soul from the wicked which is thy Sword, or with thy Sword. After that he had prayed against his enemies, he prayeth for himself, that the LORD would deliver his soul; The destruction of our enemies, is but half comfort except that the Lord deliver us from dangers; Indeed the destruction of God's enemies is a fair way, for the deliverance of God's servants, After that Haman was hanged, God's people had joy and gladness, 
Esth. 8.17  a feast and a good day.  
The use; 
The 1 use  Let us learn the right method of prayer, in these days of trouble; The Church of God now hath many adversaries, who are run together in a cluster like one man in the singular number; Hear we may learn what to say, Arise O Lord, disappoint him, Cast him down; down with Doeg, the Deputy, the cursed courteour; down with Zedekiah Canterburrie, the false Prophet, who by his tyranny hath smitten many a good Micajah on the cheeck, for courageously withstanding of his Arminian lies; Down, down with that proud Prelate, whose lips should have kept knowledge, 
Mal. 2.8.  and yet like these wicked Priests in Malachi, hath made many to stumble at the law Yea, and at the Gospel also by corrupting the Covenant of Levi; The court made him fo●ge his Master Christ, as the second Coach of Egypt taught Joseph ●o swear by the life of Pharaoh; Make thy arm now bare, 
Gen. 42.16  Lord, ●nd cast down all thine enemies among us, but chief LORD, now down with these bloody hounds of Ireland, these cruel Cannibals, 
1 King. ●. 5  who (like bloody Joab) have shed the blood of war in peace, and have put the blood of war upon their girdles that were about their loins, and in their shoes, that were on their feet, Let not their whore heads go down to the grave in peace.  
If any others by authority or counsel have had hand in that blood, as the Prophet Zacharie said, when men were murdering him at the commandment of the King, The Lord look upon it, 
2 Chron. 24. 2●.  and require it. O what a terrible count is above the head of these, who have a hand in these most bloody divisions in England, now Aceldama, a field of blood, where so many, like these two young men that came out of the two armies, to play before Joab and Abner, thrust every one his sword into his fellow's side, and fall down together: O these red fields, made red mortar with the blood of so many thousands! O is there not a God in Heaven? Will he not look upon all this and require it, yea, and requite it? O let us pray that God would cast down these men of blood; After that we have prayed thus, let us entreat the LORD most humbly, to deliver our Souls with his sword from the rage of wicked men.  

The 2 use  Again, whereas this man of God seeketh here deliverance from the Lord, let us learn to whom to go, for to be in safety; Neither Ships by Sea, nor Castles by Land, can deliver men's souls or lives; All these things are but vain things; a blast of wind will throw down, and drown these Sea tower's filled with Canons; The strong holds on land, though they seem such as the blind and the lame, 
1 Sam. 5.6  might keep them against all forces of men, yet when the Lord is away, are nothing but a lie; 
Psal. 20.8  Some trust in Charets, and some in Horses; But we will remember the LORD our GOD, from him is our deliverance; And therefore in days of danger, Let every man here learn what to say to God, O LORD deliver my soul from the wicked, with thy Sword.  
The thing he desires GOD, to deliver here, it is his soul, that is his life, for the soul is the cause of our life; Also by the soul here may be understood, the soul properly, and that the LORD would deliver it from danger, either in doing or suffering; for when a man doth evil, he endangereth his soul, or when a man is persecuted, his soul also is not without danger; If he live, except God save and sanctify him, his soul will fret impatiently, or will be inflamed with revenge, 
1 Sam. 25 13  as David was against Nabal, for his churlishness; Or if at the running out of his last sand he die in battle, the bloody sword in the hand, except the Lord deliver his soul, he cannot be but in great danger.  

The 3 use.  The third use; Let us make good use of these words, Deliver my soul; they are good for days of trouble, either for life, or for death, when it like a star ne Sergeant shall come to arrest our bodies in the grave; By this prayer our life is guarded against the rage of men, and by this prayer the Soul is fenced from the danger of damnation: In these words is advantage both in life and death; these words should at all times be in all men's mouths, both at our rising, and at our lying down, in sickness and in health: But above all, let all men of war in their greatest dangers arm themselves with this ejaculatory prayer, LORD, deliver my Soul; these a●e words which every Christian must take with him while he goeth to the battle.  
But because God heareth not the prayers of sinners, and this time of trouble is a time of prayer, let us endeavour by all means with all haste to be reconciled unto God; Truly, the best of us may say that we have a huge bottom of sin to unravel by repentance, which we have been many years winding up by our great disobedience: the work is great, the time is short, we know not, but this war may make an end of us all, Let us therefore no more hazard our salvation upon a may be, we live unto another year; I confess that no man should despair of GOD'S mercy at any time, but this is as true that no man should presume of it at any time; One hath observed this well, There was one thief at his lives end saved, to take away desperation, and but one so saved to take away presumption.  
These from whom David, here prayeth to be delivered are called the wicked; Such were the enemies that sought his life.  

The doctrine.  Observe here, that it is no new thing, that GOD'S servants are troubled by the wicked; This controversy began very early; For Cain the wicked killed the righteous Abel: 
Gen. 4.8.  He had no quarrel against him, but because he was more sincere in God's service than he; A thief hateth the light, as Ahab hated Micaiah, 
1 King. 22 8  because by the torch of the word, he shined upon his works of darkness.  
The use; 
The use.  As long as wicked men are in the world, let God's children look for dangers to their souls; There is nothing that will content wicked men, but the souls or lives of God's servants; King Ahab was sick ay until Naboth was dead, but as soon as the poor man was dead, the wicked King arose up in health, 
1 King. 21 16  and went down to the poor man's vineyard to take possession of it; it is health for the wicked to destroy the children of God; They are like the Devil, it is their meat and their drink to do evil; Let this teach us to pray continually, that God would deliver our soul from the wicked.  
Again whereas the wicked here according to some interpretation is called God's Sword Let us learn here when the wicked persecute us, not to look so much to them who are the rod Sword or stafe, as unto the hand of God, in which the rod sword or staff are; it is but for beasts as dogs, to by't the staff when they are stricken, but God's children must fix their eye upon the hand; When wicked Shimei railed upon David, and cast stones at him, calling him a bloody murderer. David would not suffer Abishai to touch him, for he had his eye upon GOD. The LORD, 
2 Sam. 16 10  said he, hath said unto him, curse David who then shall say, wherefore hast thou done so? This is a great argument of patience for God's children, when they are afflicted or persecuted by the wicked, for all the wicked, while th●y afflict us, are but a rod or staff in the hand of GOD; 
Isa. 10.15  If we can get God's favour, we need no more be afraid for the wicked, then for a Staff or Sword lying upon the ground they should once see this our Captain with his Sword in his hand, they should all fall down as deadmen at his feet; when Captain Gideon went out against the Midianites, he cried, 
Judg. 7.20  THE SWORD OF THE LORD, AND OF GIDEON; After that, not a man had either heart or hand, to fight against God's people.  
The use; 
The use.  Let us by all means endeavoure by a good life to please GOD, that this great Captain with his sword may be on our side in these days of war: the Papists idol is nothing, 
Hos. 8.5  thy Calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; But O the LORD will never cast us off; If he be with us, we need not fear who be against us; Lappers of water, 
Judg. 7.5  any body (though both few and weak) will prevail easily, 
Luk. 12.32  if GOD'S Sword be in the Battle; Fear not little flock said Christ; stand still, said Moses to his six hundreth thousand fight men, ye need not draw a Sword, the Lord shall fight for you; 
Exod. 14.13.  Only stand still, and ye shall see what GOD can do; Ye shall see the Salvation of the LORD; 
Psal. 68.21  Who shall wound the head, and break the hairy scalp, of all these that in their pride shall rise up against us; We shall be able to stand against all weathers and storms whatsoever: What ever our dangers be, the LORD shall give us a riddance; We shall be in Covenant with the Stones of the Earth, and the Stars of Heaven, who (as in the day of Sisera (shall fight in their courses against all our enemies; 
Judg. 5.20  In the day of Battle, the Lord shall break the Horse hoofs of our enemies, 
Judg. 5.22  by the means of the prancings, the prancings, that is, tramplings or plungings of the mighty ones; It shall be at last sung in a song of victory, 
vers. 27.  At our feet they bowed and fell, at our feet they bowed and fell; Where they bowed, there they fell down dead; All our enemies (like Adam in his sin) shall flee away, and thrust their head in a bush; If we be God's friends, God shall be their enemy, whether they fight in valleys or hills, let them hitch up as high as they can, were it to set their nest among the Stars, 
Obad. 4.  thence shall he bring them down; As mountains could not save his enemies in the day of water, neither shall the fountains save them in the last day of fire; GOD'S friends may well say, 
Psal. 66.12  we went through fire and water, but his foes are burnt in the one, and drowned in the other; they shall not be able to make any shift for a shelter; Let us flee, 
Exod. 14 25.  said the Egyptians, for the LORD fighteth for Israel; This at last shall be the case of all our enemies, though they were in number like the sand, 
Judg. 7.12  if we by a reformed life, study to please him who is the GOD of armies; for as Moses sang at the red Sea, 
Exod. 15.3  The LORD is a man of War, he triumphingly at the last sets his foot upon the necks of all his enemies; But if we provoke GOD by our sins, 
Josh. 7.20  as Achan did at Jericho: If we grieve the Angels, who clap their wings for joy at our conversion, 
Luk. 15.10  if we make grief to go to these thresholds of joy; if we make these ministering Spirits to blush at our wicked deeds, 
Heb. 1.14  if we draw back, 
Heb. 10.38  so that GOD'S soul have no pleasure in us, if we rebel and vex his holy Spirit, 
Isa. 66.10  and for to speak so, mortgage our salvation, or by some bastard idle thoughts, barter away the joys of a good conscience, for any trifles of pleasure, profit, or preferment, like Esau, who preferred pottage to his birthright, 
Gen. 25.34  or like the Gergesites, who desired Christ the Saviour to departed from their costs, 
Mat. 8.34  that they might save their swine; in a word, if such wicked thoughts lodge within us, we shall in the day of Battle flee like sheep scattered on the mountains; 
2 Chron. 18.16.  When the Israelites fled shamefully from before the men of Aï, the Lord declared to Joshuah their great General the cause of their flight; Israel hath sinned, 
Josh. 7.11  and have transgressed my Covenant, etc. 
vers. 12.  Therefore they could not stand before their enemies; If Generals of armies would not (with Joshuah) be ashamed of the flight of their soldiers, let them by all means endeavour, that no wicked persons be tolerate in their armies; For all such are but like Cuckoos, which for a little space in Summer, will sing a scurvy note to us, but are sure to be gone before the winter blasts come; Such profaine villains will do no good in the day of danger, when they must face a bloody field; and therefore, a General must say of his army, as David said of his house, I will walk within my house or in my army, 
Psal. 101.2  with a perfect heart, verse. 3 etc. I hate the work of them that turn aside, it shall not cleave to vers. 4 me; A froward heart shall departed from me; I will not know vers. 5 a wicked person; Who so privily slandereth his neighbour, him shall I cut off: Him that hath an high look, and a proud heart, will not vers. 6 I suffer. Mine eyes shall be on the faithful of the land; that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way, verse. 7 he shall serve we: He that worketh deceit, shall not devil within my house: He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight: I vers. 8 will early destroy all the wiced of the land, That I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of the LORD; The General of an army should not only honour GOD himself, but also carefully see that he be honoured by others, and should contemn all honour that is joined with contempt of Christ's Majesty; It is storied of Gotherey of Boulogne, a most excellent warrior, that being in the very heat and height, of his honour he refused to be crowned in Jerusalem with a Crown of gold, and that because Christ his Lord had there been crowned with a Crown of thorns: O then what honour can come from these profaine, who by wounds and passions, and bloody oaths, and other vilest vices, 
Heb. 6.6  do crucify again the King of glory? Let these be the words of a generous General, I hate the work of them that turn aside, it shall not cleave to me, a froward heart shall departed from me, I will not know a wicked person, etc. These that delight in lies, shall not tarry in my sight: these who with Achan play punks, for to fill their trunks with a golden wedge, 
Josh. 7.21  them will I cut off, with all other vicious persons, who like drunkards are courageous at the Barrel, but cowards at the Battle, 
Tumidi potando, timidi pugnando.  all such that want grace, shall have no place in my favour; Let all Captains make this, a rule of their military Discipline, wherewith, as by a curb they may powerfully pull in all these, that give lose reins to themselves in all sorts of riot; If this be carefully done, they shall have their soldiers full of heart and health, strength and courage, 
1 Sam. 17 13  to draw the strongest cities with ropes in a river; they (like Saul and Jonathan) shall be swifter than Eagles, 
2 Sam. 1.23  and stronger than Lions; The LORD shall teach their hands to war, so that a bow of steel shall be broken by their arms, 
Pal. 18.34  their enemies when they see them, shall all aghast with ghastly looks cry with the Egyptians at the red Sea, Let us flee from the face of Israel, 
Exod. 14.25  for the LORD fighteth for them against us; Thus shall it be done to the army of these that in holiness fight the Battles of the LORD; In whose royal hand is the royal gift of victory, in this life, and after this life, the victorious wreaths, with palms in hands, 
Rev. 7.9  and crowns on heads in the Heaven of Heavens, the place of our desired rest, and the rest of all our desires. To him be glory, for ever, Amen.     

A PRAYER FOR AN ARMY, IN THE DAY OF BATTLE.  
O LORD, the great GOD of Armies, and commander of Battles, in whose hand is the breath of all men, who hast a full power to save or destroy, there is none like unto thee.  
We who stand in great need of thy help, entreat thee for thy mercy this day; Let not the sins of any, like the sin of Achan deprive us of thy assistance and protection, at this present time: Remember not against us our former iniquities, forgive them, and forget them, pity us and pardon us; Be pleased with us, for the sake of Christ Jesus in whom thou art well pleased.  
Now LORD this day is appointed for the Battle, and every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, 
Isa. 9.5  and tumbling of garments into blood; We know, that he that girdeth on his harness, 
1 King. 20 11  must not boast as he that putteth it off; The prosperous success of all good enterprises is to be looked for from thee; It is as easy for thee to save, by few as by many, and therefore we all here armed for thy honour depend only upon thy assistance; We trust that according to thine infinite goodness thou wilt be powerfully with us, and for us, who stand here ready to lay down our lives at thy feet, for thy glory, the good cause, for that holy Covenant which we have made with thee, and which now we mind to seal with our blood.  
Though we deserve to be deserted of thee, because of our manifold sins, and great ingratitudes, yet for the honour of thy Name, Let not thine Israel this day shamefully turn their back before the enemy; 
Deut. 32.27.  O LORD fear the brags of thy foes, who, if we be tread down, will scornfully say, where is now their God? and where is their Covenant? and where is their good Cause? they will surely say, 
Ibid.  Our hand is high, and the LOR● hath not done all this.  
Seeing now, LORD, we are presently for to rencontre with the forces of men, and for to set our breasts before the Canon, Musket, Sword, and Spear, in this valley of the shadow of death; be thou our Captain, 
Psal. 23.4  go before us, give us wisdom, and courage, and strength; take the hearts from our enemies, make their hands faint, and their knees feeble; make thy promise good, five of you shall chase an hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight. 
Leu. 26.8   
O LORD, the protector of thy servants, make all fear of death now flee fare from us, give us the boldness of David with his good success, in going out against these uncircumcised enemies of thy truth; They come out ●●ainst us with the force of Men, ●●d Munition, with Horses, Swords, Spears, and Shields, but we go against them under thy standard, in the name of the LORD of hosts, the GOD of Armies of Israel; Through thee we shall do valiantly.  
But LORD, if for such causes as are known to thee, it be thy will that at this time an end be made made of any of our lives, let it please thy sacred Majesty to receive our souls into the bosom of thy love: Though our bodies fall into the hands of men, Let our souls fall into the hands of God, whose compassions fail not.  
Now Father into thy hands we commend our Spirits.  
Now in thy Name, under thy Banner, we thy Servants, and Soldiers, go to this chocke, O Lord be our captain, and go before us, and fight for thine own cause. General Moses words to his Army, in a great strait, at the red Sea.  Exod. 14.13. Fear ye not; stand still, and see the Salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you the day. 
Calebs' words of courage to Israel, concerning the Canaanites.  Numb. 14.9. They are bread for us, their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us, fear them not. 
Captain Joabs' words to Abishai, immediately before the Battle, against the Syrians, and the Ammonites.  2 Sam. 10.12. Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the Cities of our GOD, and the LORD do that which seemeth him good. 
Asas words, when Zerah the Ethiopian came in Battle array against him, with a thousand thousand men, and three hundred Charets.  2 Chron. 14.11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: Help us O LORD our GOD, for we rest on thee, and in thy Name we go against this multitude; O LORD thou art our GOD, Let not man prevail against thee. 
Hezekiahs' prayer, after that he had received King Senacheribs blasphemous letter, full of threaten.  2 King. 19.14. 
And Hezekiah received the letter off the hand of the messengers, and read it; And Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the Lord.  
And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the Cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the earth, thou hast made heaven and earth.  
Lord bow down thine ear, and hear, open Lord thine eyes and see, and hear the words of Senacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.  
Of a truth, LORD, the Kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands.  
And have cast their gods into the fire, for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone, therefore they have destroyed them.  
Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of h● hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.  
David's prayer against his Enemies.  Psal. 68.1. 
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered, let them that hate him flee 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.  
Victory promised to the Church.  Mic. 4.11. 
Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.  
12 But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: For he shall gather them as the sheaves into the flooore.  
13 Arise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs br●sse, and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.  Mica. 4.11. 

Now also many nations  
Are gathered against thee;  
That say let her now be defiled,  
On Zion cast our eye.   

12 But they the Lords thoughts do not know,  
Nor yet his counsel pure:  
For he by force shall gather them,  
As sheaves into the floor.   

13 Arise, O dear daughter Zion,  
Thine enemies to threin:  
For I will now make thine horn iron,  
And will make thy hoofs brass.   

And I unto the Lord of Hosts  
Will consecrate their gain;  
And to the Lord of the whole earth  
Their substance will ordain.    

A thanksgiving after the Victory.  
O Lord, what thy servant Moses said in his song at the red Sea, that may we all say this day, 
Exo. 15.3.  The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.  
Thy name, O Lord is glorious and worthy to be praised; the sorrows of death had compassed us, and the floods of ungodly men had made us afraid, but thou hast been our strength and our stay in the day of our danger.  
In the valley of the shadow of death thou hast been our Captain and defender; 
Psal. 23.4  Through thee we have done valiantly, and thou hast tread our enemies under our feet; by thy strength we have pushed them down; the safety is ours, but all the glory shall be thine, 
Zach. 1.3  who art the Lord of Hosts, who by thy mighty arm hast brought low the high looks of these, who trusted in their Horses and Charets, which thou hast teared in pieces; thou hast driven them away as smoke, 
Psal. 68.2  and hast made them to melt like wax before the fire.  
O LORD by thy almighty power, we have run through their troops, and put them to a speedy flight, We have pursued our enemies and overtaken them, neither did we turn again, till they were consumed; we have wounded them that they were not able to rise; they are fallen under our feet, for thou hast girded us with strength unto the Battle; thou hast subdued under us these that rose against us; thou hast given us the necks of our enemies: We have beaten them small as the dust before the wound: we have cast them out as the dirt of the streets; Thy gentleness hath made us great; By thee this day is ours, we most hearty acknowledge all the matter of our joy to be from thee.  
O LORD, who is like unto thee? who is GOD save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? The Lord liveth, and blessed be our rock; let the God of our salvation be exalted, 
Psal. 18.34  who hath taught our hands to war.  
Let all creatures praise the Lord; praise him from the heavens, praise him all ye his Angels and Hosts, praise him ye Sun and Moon, and all ye Stars of light: praise him from the earth, fire and hail, snow and vapour, heat and cold, rivers, hills, and vallayes, all weapons of war swords, spears, muskets, and conons, and all other things that have been steadable to help the Lord, to help the Lord, etc. 
Judg. 5.23   
With all these, we the whole body of this army, with our hearts to heaven, do sing Hallelujah, most humbly acknowledging both the victory, and every one of our particular safeties to be from thee, who art God over all things, blessed for ever, and ever, Amen.  Psal. 57.12. Thy vows are upon us, O God; we will render praises unto thee. 
Let us now in a most hearty thanksgiving sing the eighteenth Psalm, from the 33. verse, until the 39  

33 He did in order put my hands  
to battle, and to fight:  
To break in sunder bars of brass  
he gave mine arms the might.  
34 Thou teachest me thy saving health,  
thy right hand is my tower:  
Thy love and familiarity  
do still increase my power.   

35 And under me thou makest plain  
the way where I should walk:  
So that my feet should never slip,  
nor stumble at a balk.  
36 And fiercely I pursue and take  
my foes that me annoyed:  
And from the fields do not return  
till they be all destroyed.   

37 So I suppress and wound my foes  
that they can rise no more:  
For at my feet they fall down flat,  
I strike them all so sore.  
38 For thou dost gird me with thy strength  
to war in such a wise:  
That they be scattered all abroad  
that up against me rise.   
The Lord hath done great things for us; to him be glory for ever, Amen.  
FINIS.