A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse…

Fourthly, [If God be for us, who can be against us?] I answer, None can be against us so▪ as to bring us to their bow, their b••k, their will, their humour, their lusts. 1. Kings 19. 18. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him: That is, I have ¹many thousands that have not worshipped Baal. Here a set number is put for an indefinite number; he means a very great number. Idolaters used not only to bow & kneel before their Idols, but also to kiss them, according to that Hos. 13. 2. Let the men that sacrifice kiss the Calves. Cicero saith, that the chin of the image of Hercules was much worn, with the kisses of them that adored him. Now God had several thousands of true Israelites indeed, that had not in the least kind polluted themselves with the Idolatry of Baal. The denial of bowing the knee, and kissing with the mouth shows, that Gods faithful Servants were so far from setting their hearts upon Baal, as that they would not make the least show of any affection or subjection to him. These good souls had too great spirits to be conformable to the Idolatry of the times. Jeroboam with his eight hundred thousand ²chosen men, his Popish Priests, and his golden Calves, could not bring Judah to his bow. Nebuchadnezzar nor his Princely Informers, nor his fiery Furnace, could never bring the three Children to his bow; the three ³Champions would be Non-conformists, though Court, City, and Country were violent for Conformity. Neither Darius, his Presidents, nor Princes, could ever bring ⁴Daniel to their bow; Daniel would keep off from idolatry, ⟨p. 67⟩and keep close to his God, and close to his duty, let all his enemies do their worst. The Rulers and Elders of Israel charged the Apostles, and threatened the Apostles, and beat the Apostles, and commanded the Apostles,