A85486:227
The right wayThe right vvay
The right way: or A direction for obtaining good success in a weighty enterprise. Set out in a sermon preached on the 12th of September, 1648. before the Lords on a day of humiliation for a blessing on a treaty between His Majesties and the Parliaments commissioners. / By W. Gouge.The right vvay: or A direction for obtaining good successe in a weighty enterprise. Set out in a sermon preached on the 12th of September, 1648. before the Lords on a day of humiliation for a blessing on a treaty between His Majesties and the Parliaments commissioners. / By W. Gouge.
London: printed by A. Miller for Joshua Kirton, 1648London: printed by A. Miller for Ioshua Kirton, 1648
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This phrase, Rivers of water, may be here used metaphorically or literally. If metaphorically, the metaphor may be taken from Gardeners, or marsh-keepers, who use to let in streams of water into their gardens, orchards, or meadows, when and where they think good: and to let them out when they will. If literally, the phrase may have reference to former acts of Gods turning waters from their natural course, as it pleased him. For the Lord caused the sea to go back, and thereby saved the Israelites, but destroyed the Egyptians, Exod. 14. 21, &c He made also the waters of Jordan to stay their course, till all Israel passed over into Canaan, Josh. 3. 16. To these evidences of Gods power over the water hath the Psalmist reference, Psal. 114. 3, 5. where he thus saith, The sea saw it and fled: Jordan was driven back. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? and thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? The Lord also opened a rock, and the waters gushed out: they ran in the dry places like a river, Psal. 105. 41. The Apostle, in reference hereunto, saith, That the Rock followed ⟨p. 37⟩them, 1 Cor. 10. 4. by the rock metonymically he meaneth the waters that flowed out of the rock; and they, by Gods ordering providence ran along in those places whither the Israelites removed their several stations, and so followed them. The Lord also upon Elijah's smiting the waters of Jordan, divided them hither and thither. So did he again, when Elisha went over Jordan, 2 King 2. 8, 14. It is also noted, that when the armies of Judah, Israel and Edom were in a dry place where was no water, unexpectedly there came water, and the country was filled with water, 2 King. 3. 20. This was done by the Lord. It is expressly said, Psal. 107. 33. that the Lord turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground. And again, vers. 35. He turns the wilderness into a standing water, and dry grounds into water-springs. All these and other like instances evidently demonstrate, that the Lord hath such power over rivers of water, as he can turn and order them, as it pleases him. Now waters running in rivers have a violent course. He therefore that can turn them, can much more turn the hearts of Kings.