Zerubbabels encouragement to finish the temple. A sermon preached before the honourable House of…

And the reason of this dispensation of Gods,¹ is, both that his hand and power in bringing things to pass, for his Church, may be seen and acknowledged, and that his enemies may be confounded: I put both these reasons in one, because we find them mentioned together in one place, Nehem. 6. 16. In which Chapter you may read of the great opposition made in building the City, as here the Temple; which yet when God had carried on, It came to pass, (says that 16. ver.) that when all their enemies heard thereof, and all ⟨p. 21⟩that were about them saw these things, [they ween much cast down in their own eyes,] (there is one part of the reason) for they perceived that [this work was wrought by our God,] there is the other part. First, Gods power appears, in carrying things §1through much opposition. If there were a full concurrency of all second causes, and a general suffrage of them, his voice would then be lost and swallowed up among that crowd; but when there is a great canvas, (as in Colleges we call it) then the power of his casting voice appears. Thus why is God said to bring Israel out of Egypt with a strong hand, Exod. 13. 30. but because it was carried on through much opposition? There lay no less then ten mountains in the way of it; Pharaohs heart was hardened ten times, which God did on purpose to show his power, Exod. 9. 6. Secondly,§2 he doth it, to confound his enemies the more, which usually goes together with doing good unto his Church: He renders vengeance to his adversaries, and is ncercifull to his Land, both at once, Deut. 32. 43. He often suffers them to have the ball on their foot, till they come to the very goal, and yet then to miss the game: That so wherein they dealt proudly, he might show himself above them, which is Jethroes reason, Exod. 18. 9.

And the reason of this dispensation of Gods,