Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons

2. Though you do the work of your hand with all your might, yet you must not look upon the success of your work as the fruit of your hand, but of Gods hand; when Israel went out against Amaleck, Moses lift up his hands, and Israel prevailed; then Joshua built an Altar, and called it Jehovah-nissi; for says the Text, Exod. 17.15. The Lord hath sworn that he will have war with Amaleck; but ver. 16. in the Hebrew, as the Margin tells, It is the hand on the Throne of the Lord, and why says Glassius, is it said the hand on the throne of the Lord, but to show that this victory was not from Moses hand, though it was a praying hand, but from Gods hand. Luther tells us of Staupitius, that when he came to his Government he said, I will govern according to Law; But when he saw that his Government did not succeed, then he said I will govern according to the customs of the place; When he saw that succeeded not, then said he, I will govern by the Scripture; When he saw that succeeded not well, then said he, I will do what I can according to Scripture and Law, and leave the success unto God; and then his Government prospered. And you see how it is with a Child, a Father bids him do this or that which he knows the child cannot do; therefore he secretly puts his own hand to the work, and he praises his child, and the child thinks that his hand did it. So here God bids us do his work, with all our might, & we do so & have success in the work, and we think the success is the fruit of our hand, whereas in truth it is the fruit of our fathers hand. Mark therefore what follows in the next words to the Text, in this verse saith Solomon, Whatever thou findest in thy hand to do, ⟨p. 147⟩do it with all thy might; but in the next words says, I returned and saw, that the Race is not to the swift, nor the Battle to the strong. Why doth he add these words immediately, but to show thus much, that though we do Gods work withal our might, yet we must not look upon the success as the fruit of our own hand; And thus now this Doctrine is cleared, proved, vindicated, and cautioned; and so I come to the Application.

2. Though you do the work of your hand with all your might, yet you must not look upon the success of your work as the fruit of your hand, but of Gods hand; when Israel went out against Amaleck, Moses lift up his hands, and Israel prevailed; then Joshua built an Altar, and called it Jehova-nissi; for says the Text,