A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their public fast, Novemb.…A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their publique fast, Novemb.…

I begin with the former vision of the four horns, and the Doct. 1 first Doctrine, namely, that when God intendeth any great good and salvation to his people, he doth first suffer malignant, potent, and many enemies to rise against them. Was it not so with Israel wh•n God intended to bring them out of Egypt? Then their Taskmasters arose and doubled their work, and were more inimicitious to them then formerly. Was it not thus with the Jews when God brought them out of Babylon to build the Temple? opposition they met withal in their remove, in their journey, and all along in their Temple-work. Was it not thus with the Israelites when they went to execute justice upon that malignant Tribe of Benjamin for the great sin of Gibeah? If you look into the 20. of Judges, you shall find that before Benjamin was punished they got two great victories upon Israel; Israel (if you count the numbers of their soldiers) w•re twelve to one; Israel had the best cause, and their work was good, they went forth to do justice on that delinquent Tribe; yet if you consult the story, the Tribe of Benjamin first slew of them down to the ground forty thousand m•n. This is Gods way still; He seldom or never destroyeth his enemies but out of Zeal; The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts hath done this, saith the Prophet: Now Zeal is nothing else but angered love; and three things there are in the world that God doth love especially, His people, His truth, and His worship; ⟨p. 6⟩When the enemies prevail they spoil his people, they defile his worship, they scorn his truth, so his love is angered, his Zeal is stirred, and then his enemies are confounded.

I begin with the former vision of the foure hornes, and the Doct. 1 first Doctrine, namely, that when God intendeth any great good and salvation to his people, he doth first suffer malignant, potent, and many •nemies to rise against them. Was it not so with Israel wh•n God intended to bring them out of Egypt? Then their Taskemasters arose and doubled their work, and were more inimicitious to them then formerly. Was it not thus with the Jewes when God brought them out of Babylon to build the Temple? opposition they met withall in their remove, in their journey, and all along in their Temple-work. Was it not thus with the Israelits when they went to execute justice upon that malignant Tribe of Benjamin for the great sin of Gibeah? If you look into the 20. of Iudges, you shall find that before Benjamin was punished they got two great victories upon Israel; Israel (if you count the numbers of their souldiers) wre twelve to one; Israel had the best cause, and their work was good, they went forth to do justce on that delinquent Tribe; yet if you consult the story, the Tribe of Benjamin first slew of them down to the ground forty thousand mn. This is Gods way still; He seldome or never destroyeth his enemies but out of Zeale; The Zeale of the Lord of Hosts hath done this, saith the Prophet: Now Zeale is nothing else but angered love; and three things there are in the world that God doth love especially, His people, His truth, and His worship;