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pearances to the contrary.

See it in Abraham.

He

He receiveth a command to go out to a land which the Lord should shew him, and a promise that it should be given to him and his.* goeth; but meeteth with a great famine at his first coming thither, which forced him to flee into Egypt for bread, because he was like to starve there. Yet afterwards it proved " a land flowing with milk and honey," to his posterity. Another grand promise made to Abraham was that "his seed should be as the stars of heaven for multitude:"+ yet Isaac the son of promise was not born till a good while after; and being grown was like to have been offered up for a sacrifice at God's command. But the Lord spared him, and a wife is at length procured for him; yet for twenty years together after his marriage he hath no issue by her.‡ All this 'while how small appearance is there of a numerous seed? Neither did the posterity of Isaac begin to multiply for a long time after this: for all the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt, were no more but threescore and ten. In Egypt a course was taken by Pharoah's tyranny to keep them from increasing. But behold the faithfulness and truth of God, who being mindful of his promise, caused such fruitfulness amongst

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them, notwithstanding all obstacles, that there were numbered in the second year after their coming out of Egypt, more than six hundred thousand fighting men, besides women and children, and the whole tribe of Levi. *

$7. Secondly, The accomplishing of all his threatenings, as it is written, "I the Lord have spoken it, it shall come to pass, and I will do it ; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent." Accordingly when the seven angels appeared with the seven last plagues, they that stood on the sea of glass, said in their song, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints." And when the third of them poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, an angel out of the altar said, "Even so Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." If it be objected that destruction was threatened to Nineveh at the end of forty days, but not then executed, the answer is at hand, Their repentance prevented their ruin. For as some of God's promises are made with the condition of faith and perseverance; so his threatenings are denounced with the exception of repentance; which, though concealed for the most part, is always included, and sometimes expressed, as in that place of Jeremiah, “At what in

Numb. i. 1. compared with chap. ii. 32, 33.
Rev. xv. 1, 2,B.. Rev. xvi. 4, 7.

+ Ezek. xxiv. 14.

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stant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it: If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." Be we admonished from hence.

First, What to practise in reference to God, to wit, truth in our promises to and covenants with him, that so our returns may be answerable in kind to our receits. "All his ways are mercy and truth" † to us-ward; therefore all ours should be truth and faithfulness towards him. Thrice. happy we, whatever our outward condition prove, if we be able to profess in the sincerity of our hearts, as they did in Psalm the forty-fourth, “All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant." Our principal comfort flows from God's keeping his covenant of grace with us; it should therefore be our principal care to keep truth with him.

$8. Secondly, What to look for in reference to ourselves. To wit, an exact fulfilling of all promises and threatenings that are conditional, according to their several conditions. Hath the faithful and true witness said, "He that believ eth and is baptized shall be saved," but he that believeth not shall be damned? Let no unbeliever then, whilst he continueth in that estate,

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expect salvation: neither any that believeth and walketh in Christ, fear damnation, seeing he hath truth itself engaged for his safety; and seeing "the faith of God's elect," according to St Paul's doctrine, should go hand in hand with the hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. Let all that wish well to Zion make full account that in due time, "The mountain of the Lord's house shall be esta blished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow into it ;" + because it hath been promised of old. Let them also know assuredly, that "the Lord will consume Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of his coming;" because this commination standeth upon the file in holy scripture, and is not yet completely verified. Former ages have seen Antichrist Nascent, when the Bishop of Rome first usurped authority over all the churches; Antichrist Crescent, when he began to maintain the doctrine of adoring images, and praying to saints departed; Antichrist Regnant, when he exalted himself above kings and emperors, setting

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his mitre above their crowns; yea, Antichrist Triumphant, when he once became Lord of the catholic faith, so as none might believe without danger more or less, or otherwise than he prescribed. To this observation made by one of our 2 Thess. ii. 8.

*Tit. i. 1, 2. + Isai. ii. 2.

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*

own learned countrymen, let me add; we ourselves have seen him Antichrist Cadent, falling and waining ever since Luther, Calvin, Perkins and others were set on work by God to unmask him. And no doubt, if we do not, our posterity shall see him Antichrist Morient, dying and giving up the ghost: for the Lord faithful and true hath not only threatened his ruin, but foretold that his day is coming.

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EXERCITATION IV.

Keeping mercy for thousands explained. Men exhorted to trust God with their posterity. Luther's last will and testament. Iniquity, transgression and sin what. Six Scripture expressions setting out the pardon thereof. God's goodness therein. Faith and repentance the way to it. Pardon in the court of heaven, and of conscience. The equity and necessity of forgiving one another. We are to forgive as God for Christ's sake for giveth us, viz. heartily, speedily, frequently, thoroughly. A twofold remembrance of injuries, in cautelam et in vindictam.

§ 1. THE sixth branch of divine goodness, is the Lord's keeping mercy for thousands; which

* Dr. Crakanthorp. in his Vigilius dormitans chap. 13. § 24.

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