ALl the words of God are alwayes sweete in themselues , sayes Dauid ; but sweeter in the mouth , and in the pen of some of the Prophets , and some of the Apostles , then of others , as they differed in their naturall gifts , or in their education : but sweetest of all , where the Holy Ghost hath beene pleased to set the word of God to Musique , and to conuay it into a Song ; and this Text is of that kind : part of the Song which Deborah & Barak sung after their great victory vpon Sisera ; Sisera who was Iabin the King of Canaans Generall against Israel , God himselfe made Moses a Song , Deut. 31.19 . and expressed his reason why ; The children of Israel , sayes God , will forget my Law ; but this song they will not forget ; and whensoeuer they sing this song , this song shall testifie against them , what I haue done for them , how they haue forsaken me . And to such a purpose hath God left this Song of Deborah and Barak in the Scriptures , that all Murmurers , and all that stray into a diffidence of Gods power , or of his purpose to sustaine his owne cause , and destroy his owne Enemies , might run and read , might read and sing , the wonderfull deliuerances that God hath giuen to his people , by weake and vnexpected meanes . This world begun with a Song , if the Chalde Paraphrasts , vpon Salomons Song of Songs haue taken a true tradition , That assoone as Adams sinne was forgiuen him , he expressed ( as he cals it in that Song ) Sabbatum suum , his Sabboth , his peace of conscience , in a Song ; of which , we haue the entrance in that Paraphrase . This world begun so ; and so did the next world too , if wee count the beginning of that ( as it is a good computation to doe so ) from the comming of Christ Iesus : for that was expressed on Earth , in diuers Songs ; in the blessed Virgins Magnificat ; My soule doth magnifie the Lord : In Zacharies Benedictus ; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; and in Simeons , Nunc dimittis , Lord , now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace . This world began so , and the other ; and when both shall ioyne , and make vp one world without end , it shall continue so in heauen , in that Song of the Lamb , Great and marueilous are thy workes , Lord God Almighty , Apoc. 3. iust and true are thy wayes , thou King of Saints . And , to Tune vs , to Compose and giue vs a Harmonie and Concord of affections , in all perturbations and passions , and discords in the passages of this life , if we had no more of the same Musique in the Scriptures ( as we haue the Song of Moses at the Red Sea , and many Psalmes of Dauid to the same purpose ) this Song of Deborah were enough , abundantly enough , to slumber any storme , to becalme any tempest , to rectifie any scruple of Gods slacknesse in the defence of his cause , when in the History and occasion of this Song , expressed in the Chapter before this , we see , That Israel had done euill in the sight of the Lord againe , and yet againe , God came to them : That God himselfe had sold Israel into the hands of Iabin King of Canaan , and yet he repented the bargaine , and came to them ; That in twenty yeeres oppression he came not , and yet he came . That when Sisera came against them , with nine hundred Chariots of Iron , and all preparations , proportionable to that , and God cald vp a woman , a Prophetesse , a Deborah against him , because Deborah had a zeale to the cause , and consequently an enmity to the enemie , God would effect his purpose by so weake an instrument , by a woman , but by a woman , which had no such interest , nor zeale to the cause ; by Jael : And in Iaels hand , by such an instrument , as with that , scarce any man could doe it , if it were to be done againe , with a hammer she driues a nayle through his temples , and nayles him to the ground , as he lay sleeping in her tent : And then the end of all , was the end of all , not one man of his army left aliue . O my Soule , why art thou so sad , why art thou so disquieted within me ? Sing vnto the Lord an old song , the song of Deborah and Barak , That God by weake meanes doth mighty workes , That all Gods creatures fight in his behalfe , They fought from heauen , the starres in their Order , fought against Sisera .

You shal haue but two parts out of these words ; And to make these two parts , Diuision . I consider the Text , as the two Hemispheres of the world , laid open in a flat , in a plaine Map . All those parts of the world , which the Ancients haue vsed to consider , are in one of those Hemispheres ; All Europe is in that , and in that is all Asia , and Afrike too : So that when we haue seene that Hemisphere , done with that , we might seeme to haue seene all , done with all the world ; but yet the other Hemisphere , that of America is as big as it ; though , but by occasion of new , and late discoueries , we had had nothing to say of America . So the first part of our Text , will bee as that first Hemisphere ; all which the ancient Expositors found occasion to note out of these words , will be in that : but by the new discoueries of some humors of men , and rumors of men , we shall haue occasion to say somewhat of a second part to . The parts are , first , the Literall , the Historicall sense of the words ; And then an emergent , a collaterall , an occasionall sense of them . The explication of the wordes , and the Application , Quid tunc , Quid nunc , How the words were spoken then , How they may be applied now , will be our two parts . And , in passing through our first , wee shall make these steps . First , God can , and sometimes doth effect his purposes by himselfe ; intirely , immediatly , extraordinarily , miraculously by himselfe : But yet , in a second place , we shall see , by this story , That he lookes for assistance , for concurrence of second causes , and subordinate meanes : And that therefore , God in this Song of Deborah , hath prouided an honourable commemoration of them , who did assist his cause ; for , the Princes haue their place , Verse 15 , The Princes of Issachar were with her : And then , the Gouernours , The great Persons , the great Officers of the State , haue their place in this honour , That they offered themselues willingly to that seruice ; And after them , the Merchants , Verse 9. for those who are said there , Verse 10 , to ride vpon white Asses , to be well mounted , according to the manner of those Nations , are , by Peter Martyr , amongst our Expositors , and by Serarius the Iesuite , amongst the others , fitly vnderstood , to be intended of Merchants ; And in the same verse , the Iudges are honorably remembred , Those that sit in Iudgement ; And a farre vnlikelier sort of people , then any of these , in the same verse too , Those that walked by the way ; Idle , and discoursing men , that were not much affected , how businesse went , so they might talke of them : And lastly , the whole people in generall , Verse 2. how poore soeuer , they haue euidence from this record , That they offered themselues ( and what will they denie , that offer themselues ) and willingly , to this imploiment . And then , God hauing here afforded this honourable mention of them , who did assist him , he layes also a heauy note vpon such , who for collaterall respects preuaricated , or withdraw themselues from his seruice : Verse 16. perticularly vpon Ruben , who was diuided by greatnesse of heart , And vpon Dan , Verse 17. who remained in his ships . And therefore to the encouragement of those who did assist him , in any proportion , though their assistance were no wayes competent against so potent an enemy , God fought for himselfe too , They fought from Heauen , The starres in their order fought against Sisera . And these will be the branches , or circumstances of our first part : for the particulars of the second , we shall open them more commodiously for your memory and vse , then , when we come to handle them , then now . Now we proceed to those of the first part .

Part 1. And into those I passe with this protestation , That in all which I shall say this day , beeing to speake often of God , in that Notion , as he is Lord of Hostes , and fights his owne battailes , I am farre from giuing fire to them that desire warre . Peace in this world , is a pretious Earnest , and a faire and louely Type of the euerlasting peace of the world to come : And warre in this world , is a shrewd and fearefull Embleme of the euerlasting discord and tumult , and torment of the world to come : And therefore , our Blessed God , blesse vs with this externall , and this internall , and make that lead vs to an eternall peace . But I speake of this subiect , especially to establish and settle them , that suspect Gods power , or Gods purpose , to succour those , who in forraine parts , grone vnder heauie pressures in matter of Religion , or to restore those , who in forraine parts , are deuested of their lawfull possessions , and inheritance ; and because God hath not done these great workes yet , nor yet raised vp meanes , in apparance , and in their apprehension , likely to effect it , That therefore God likes not the cause ; and therefore they begin to bee shaked in their owne Religion at home , since they thinke that God neglects it abroad . But , beloued , since God made all this world of nothing , cannot hee recouer any one peece thereof , or restore any one peece , with a little ? In the Creation , his production of specifique formes , and seuerall Creatures in the seuerall dayes , was much , very much ; but not very much , compared with that , which he had done immediatly before , when he made Heauen and Earth of nothing . For , for the particular Creatures , God had then Praeiacentem Materiam , he had stuffe before him ; enough to cut out Creatures of the largest sise , his Elephants of the Earth , his Whales and Leuiathans in the Sea . In that matter there was Semen Creaturarum , The Seed of all Creatures in that stuffe . But for the stuffe it selfe , the Heauen and Earth , God had not Semen Coeli , any such seed of Heauen as that he could say to it , doe thou hatch a Heauen ; he had not any such Semen terrae , as that hee could bid that grow vp into an Earth : There was nothing at all , and all , that is , was produced from that ; and then who shall doubt of his proceeding , if by a little he will doe much ? He suffered his greater works to be paraleld , or to be counterfeit by Pharaohs Magicians ; but in his least , in the making of Lice , hee brought them to confesse Digitum Dei , the finger of God ; and that was enough ; The arme of God , the hand of God needs not ; where he will worke , his finger is enough , It was not that imagination , that dreame of the Rabbins , that hindered the Magicians , who say , that the Deuill cannot make any Creature , lesse then a Barley corne ; As it is with men , they misconceiue it to be with the Deuill too ; harder to make a little clocke , a little picture , any thing in a little , then in a larger forme . That was no part of the reason in that case : but since man ordinarily esteemes it so , and ordinarily admires great workes in little forme , why will he not be content to glorifie God that way , in a faithfull confidence , that hee can and will doe great workes by weake meanes . Should God haue stayd to leuie , and arme , and traine , and muster , and present men enow to discomfit Sennacherib ? Hee tooke a neerer way ; he slew almost two hundreth thousand of them , in one night by an Angell . Esa. 37.36 . Should God haue troubled an Angell to satisfie Elisha his seruant ? Onely by apparition in the cloudes , 2. Reg. 5.16 . he brought him to acknowledge , that there were more with them , then with the Enemy , when there was none . He troubled not so much as a cloud , he imployed no Creature at all , against the Philistines , when they came vp with thirty thousand Chariots ; 1. Sam. 23 5 but hee breathed a dampe , an astonishment into them , he imprinted a diuine terror in their hearts , and they fought against one another . God foresaw a diminution of his honour , Iud. 6. in the augmentation of Israels forces , and therfore he reduced Gideons thirty two thousand to three hundred persons . It was so in persons , God does much with few , and it was so in time , God does much , though late ; though God seeme a long time to haue forgot his people , yet in due time , that is , in his time , he returnes to them againe . S. Augustine makes a vsefull Historicall note , That that land to which God brought the Children of Israel , was their owne land before ; they were the right heires to it , lineally descended from him , who was the first possessor of it , after the floud : but they were so long out of possession of it , as that they were neuer able to set their title on foot ; nay , they did scarce know their own title , and yet God repossessed them of it , reinuested them in it . It is so for persons , and times in his wayes in this world , Much with few , much though late , and it is so in his wayes to the next world too : for persons , Elias knew of no more but himselfe , that serued the right God aright : God makes him know that there were seuen thousand more ; seuen thousand was much to one , but it was little to all the world : and yet these seuen thousand haue peopled heauen , and sent vp all those Colonies thither ; all those Armies of Martyrs , those flockes of Lambes , innocent children , those Fathers , the Fathers of the Church , and Mothers , holy Matrons , and daughters , blessed Virgines , and learned and laborious Doctors ; these seuen thousand haue filled vp the places of the fallen Angels , and repeopled that Kingdome : And wheresoeuer we thinke them most worne out , God at this time hath his remnant ( as the Apostle sayes ) and God is able to make vp the whole garment of that remnant . Rom. 11.5 . So h● does much with few , in the wayes to heauen ; and that he does much though late , in that way too , thou mayest discerne in his working vpon thy selfe . How often hast thou suffered thy Soule , to grow cleane out of all reparations into ruine , by thine inconsiderate and habituall course of sinne , and neuer repaired it by any good vse of hearing the word , or receiuing the Sacrament in a long time , and when thou hast at any time , come to a suruey of thy conscience , how hast thou beene affected with an inordinate apprehension of Gods anger , and his inaccessiblenesse , his inexorablenesse towards thee , and sunke euen into the iawes of desperation ; And yet , Quia manet semen dei , because the seed of God hath remained in thee , 1. Io. 3.4 . Incubat Spiritus , the Holy Ghost hath sat vpon that seed , and hatched a new Creature in thee , a modest , but yet infallible assurance of the Mercy of thy God . Recollect all ; in raysing of sieges , and discomfiting of Armies , in restoring possessions , and reinuesting right heires , in repairing the ruines of the Kingdome of heauen , depopulated in the fall of Angels , in reestablishing peace of conscience ; in a presumptuous confidence , or ouer-timorous diffidence in God , God glorifies himselfe that way , to doe much with little .

He does so ; but yet hee will haue something . God is a good Husband , a good Steward of Mans contributions , but contributions he will haue : hee will haue a concurrence , a cooperation of persons . Euen in that great worke , which wee spake of at first , the first creation , which was so absolutely of Nothing , yet there was a Faciamus , let vs , vs , make Man ; though but one God , yet more Persons in that worke . Christ had been able to haue done as the Deuill would haue had him doe , to haue made bread of stones , Matt. 4.3 . when hee had so great a number to feed in the Wildernesse ; but hee does not so : Hee askes his Disciples , Quot panes habetis ; How many loafes haue you ? and though they were but fiue , yet since they were some , he multiplies them , and feeds aboue fiue thousand with those fiue . Hee would haue a remnant of Gedeons Armie to fight his battailes : A remnant of Israels beleeuers to make vp his Kingdome ; A remnant of thy Soule , his seed wrapd vp somewhere , to saue thy Soule ; And a remnant of thy selfe , of thy Mind , of thy Purse , of thy Person , for thy temporall deliuerance . God goes lowe , and accepts small Sacrifices ; a Pigeon , a handfull of Flower , a few eares of Corne ; but a Sacrifice he will haue . The Christian Church implies a shrewd distresse , when shee prouides that reason , that clause in her prayer , Quia non est alius , Giue Peace in our time , O Lord , because there is no other that fighteth for vs : If the bowels of compassion bee eaten out , if the band of the Communion of Saints be dissolued , we fight for none , none fights for vs , at last neyther we nor they shall fight for Christ , nor Christ for them nor vs , but all become a prey to the generall enemie of the name of Christ ; for God requires something , some assistance , some concurrence , some cooperation , though he can fight from heauen , and the Starres , in their order , can fight against Sisera .

And therefore , though God giue his glorie to none , his glorie , that is to doe all with Nothing , yet he giues them their glorie , that doe any thing for him , or for themselues . And as hee hath laid vp a record , for their glorie and Memoriall , who were remarkeable for Faith ( for the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrewes , is a Catalogue of them . ) So in this Song of Deborah and Barake , hee hath laide vp a Record for their glorie , who expressed their faith in Workes , and assisted his seruice . That which is said in generall , The Memorie of the iust is blessed , Prou. 13.7 . but the name of the wicked shall rot , That is applied and promised in particular , by him , who can performe it , by Christ , to that woman , who anointed him , That whersoeuer his Gospell should be Preached in the whole world , Mat. 26.13 ther should also this that this woman had done , be told for a memoriall of her . Shee assisted at his Funerall ( as Christ himselfe interprets her action , That shee did it to burie him ) and hath her glorie : how shall he glorifie them , that aduance his glorie ? Shee hath her reward in his death ; what shall they haue , that keepe him , and his Gospell aliue ? Not a verse in Deborah and Baraks song , and yet that is honourable euidence : Not a commemoration at the Preaching of the Gospell ; and yet that is the honourable testimonie in this place , and at these Exercises , of such as haue contributed to the conueniencies of these Exercises , but they shall haue a place in the Booke of life ; indelibly in the Booke of life , if they proceede in that deuotion of assisting Gods cause , and doe not thinke , that they haue done all , or done enough , if they haue done something some one time . The Morall man hath said well , and well applied it ; Plutar. A Ship is a Ship for euer , if you repaire it . So , sayes hee , Honour is Honour , and so say wee , A good Conscience is a good Conscience for euer , if you repaire it : But , sayes he well , Aliquid famae addendum , ne putrescat . Honour will putrifie , and so will a good Conscience too , if it be not repaired . He that hath done Nothing must begin , and hee that hath done something for Gods cause , must doe more , if hee will continue his name in the Booke of Life ; though God leaue no one particular action , done for his glorie , without glorie ; as those who assisted his glorie heere , haue a glorious Commemoration in this Song .

In the fifteenth verse , Princes haue their place ; The Princes of Issachar , were with Deborah . when the King goes to the field , Many , who are in other cases Priuiledged , are by their Tenures bound to goe . It is a high Tenure to hold by a Crowne ; And when God , of whome , and whome onely they hold , that hold so , goes into the field , it becomes them to goe with him . But as God sits in Heauen , and yet goes into the field , so they of whome God hath said , Yee are Gods , the Kings of the Earth , may stay at home , and yet goe too . They goe in their assistance to the Warre ; They goe in their Mediation for Peace ; They goe in their Example , when from their sweetnesse , and moderation in their Gouernement at home , their flowes out an instruction , a perswasion to Princes abroad . Kings goe many times , and are not thanked , because their wayes are not seene : and Christ himselfe would not alwayes bee seene ; In the eight of Iohn , he would not be seene . When they tooke vp stones to stone him , he withdrew himselfe inuisibly , hee would not be seene : When Princes find that open actions exasperate , they doe best , if they be not seene . In the sixth of Iohn , Christ would not bee seene . When they would haue put vpon him , that which was not fit for him to take , when they would haue made him King , he withdrew himselfe , and was not seene . When Princes are tempted to take Territories , or possessions in to their hands , to which other Princes haue iust pretences , they doe best , if they withdrawe themselues from engagements in vnnecessarie Warres , for that , 2. Reg. 23.29 . that onely was Iosiahs ruine . Kings cannot alwayes goe in the sight of Men , and so they lose their thankes ; but they cannot goe out of the sight of God , and there they neuer lose their reward : For the Lord that sees them in secret , shall reward them openly , with peace in their owne States , and Honour in their owne Chronicles , as here , for assisting his cause , hee gaue the Princes of Issachar a roome , a straine in Deborah and Barakes Song .

And in the ninth verse , the Gouernors , the great Officers , haue their place , in this praise , My heart is towards the Gouernors of Israel that offered themselues willingly . It is not themselues in person ; Great Officers cannot doe so ; They are Intelligences that moue great Spheares , but they must not bee mou'd out of them . But their glorie here is their willingnesse . That before they were inquired into , how they carried themselues in their Offices , before they were intimidated , or soupled with fines and ransomes , voluntarily they assisted the cause of God . Some in the Romane Church write , that the Cardinalls of that Church , are so incorporated into the Pope , so much of his body , and so bloud of his bloud , that in a feuer they may not let bloud without his leaue . Truly , the great Persons and Gouernors in any state , are so noble and neere parts of the King , as that they may not bleed out in any subuentions and assistances of such causes vnder-hand , as are not auowd by the King ; for , it is not euident that that cause is Gods cause ; at least not euident that that way is an assistance of Gods cause . But a good , and tractable , and ductile disposition , in all courses which shall lawfully bee declared to bee for Gods glorie , then , not Contra , but Praeter , not against , but besides , not in opposing , but in preuenting the Kings will , before hee vrge , before he presse , to be willing and forward in such assistances , this giues great Persons , Gouernors , and Officers , a verse in Baraks and Deborahs Song , and Deborah and Baraks Song is the Word of God .

The Merchants haue their place in that verse too . For , ( as wee said before ) those who ride vpon white Asses , ( which was as honorable a transportation , as Coaches are now ) are by Peter Martyr amongst ours , and by Serarius the Jesuit amongst others , well vnderstood to be the Merchants . The greatnesse and the dignitie of the Merchants of the East is sufficiently expressed in those of Babylon , Thy Merchants were the great Men of the Earth . Apoc. 18.23 And for the Merchants of the West , we know that in diuers forraine parts , their Nobilitie is in their Merchants , their Merchants are their Gentlemen . And certainly , no place of the world , for Commodities and Situation , better disposed then this Kingdome , to make Merchants great . You cannot shew your greatnesse more , then in seruing God , with part of it ; you did serue before you were free ; but here you do both at once , for his seruice is perfect freedome . I am not here to day , to beg a Beneuolence for any particular cause on foot now : there is none ; but my Errand in this first part is , first to remoue iealousies and suspitions of Gods neglecting his businesse , because he does it not at our appointment , and then to promoue and aduance a disposition , to assist his cause and his glory , in all wayes , which shall bee declar'd to conduce thereunto , whether in his body , by relieuing the poore , or in his house by repairing these walls , or in his honour in employments more publique : And to assure you that you cannot haue a better debter , a better pay-master then Christ Iesus : for all your Entayles , and all your perpetuities doe not so nayle , so hoope in , so riuet an estate in your posteritie , as to make the Sonne of God your Sonne too , and to giue Christ Iesus a Childes part , with the rest of your Children . It is noted ( perchaunce but out of leuity ) that your Children doe not keepe that which you get : It is but a calumny , or but a fascination of ill wishers . We haue many happy instances to the contrarie , many noble families deriued from you ; One , enough to enoble a World ; Queene ELIZABETH was the great granchild of a Lord Maior of London . Our blessed God blesse all your Estates , and blesse your posteritie in a blessed enioying therof ; But truly it is a good way to that , amongst all your purchases , to purchase a place in Barak and Deborahs Song , a testimonie of the Holy Ghost , that you were forward in all due times in the assistance of Gods cause .

That testimonie , in this Seruice in our Text , haue the Iudges of the Land , in the same verse too , ye that sit in Iudgement . Certainly , Men exercised in Judgement , are likeliest to thinke of the last Iudgement . Men accustomed to giue Iudgement , likeliest to thinke of the Iudgement they are to receiue . And at that last Iudgement the Malediction of the left hand falls vpon them that haue not harbored Christ , not fed him , not clothed him , And when Christ comes to want those things in that degree , that his Kingdome , his Gospell , himselfe cannot subsist , where it did , without such a sustentation , an omission in such an assistance , is much more heauie . All Iudgements end in this , Suum cuique , to giue euery one his owne . Giue God his owne , and hee hath enough ; giue him his owne , in his owne place , and his cause will be preferred before any Ciuill or Naturall obligation . But God requires not that : pay euery other Man first , owe nothing to any Man ; pay your Children , apportion them conuenient portions . Pay your estimation , your reputation , liue in that good fashion which your ranke and calling calls for : when all this is done , of your superfluities beginne to pay God , and euen for that you shall haue your roome in Deborah , and Baraks Song , for Assistants , and Coadiutors to him .

For a farre vnlikelier sort of people , then any of these , haue that in the same verse also , Ambulantes super viam , They that walke vp and downe idle , discourcing Men , Men of no Calling , of no Profession , of no sense of other Mens miseries , and yet they assist this cause . Men that sucke the sweet of the Earth , and the sweat of other Men : Men that pay the State nothing in doing the offices of mutuall societie , and embracing particular vocations ; Men that make themselues but pipes to receiue and conuay , and vent rumors , but spunges to sucke in , and powre out foule water ; Men that doe not spend time , but weare time , they trade not , they plough not , they preach not , they plead not , but walke , and walke vpon the way , till they haue walked out their sixe moneths for the renuing of bands , euen these had some remorse in Gods cause , euen these got into Deborah and Baraks Song for assisting there .

And lesse ; that is , Poorer then these : for in the Second verse , the people are as forward as the Gouernors , in the Ninth , They offered themselues willingly . They might offer themselues , their persons . It is likely they did ; and likely that many of them had nothing to offer but themselues . And when Men of that pouertie offer , part easily with that which was hardly got , how acceptable to God , that Sacrifice is , we see in Christs testimonie of that Widdow , who amongst many great giuers gaue her Mite , That shee gaue more then all they , because shee gaue all : which testified not onely her Liberalitie to God , but her Confidence in God , that though shee left nothing , shee should not lacke : for that right vse doth Saint Augustine make of that example , Diuites largiuntur securi de diuitijs , pauper securus de Domino : A rich man giues , and feeles it not , feares no want , because hee is sure of a full Chest at home ; A poore man giues , and feeles it as little , because hee is sure of a bountifull God in Heauen .

God then can worke alone ; there wee set out : yet he does require assistance ; that way wee went : And to those that doe assist , hee giues glory here ; so farre we are gone : but yet this remaynes , that hee layes notes of blame , and reproach vpon them , whom collaterall respects withdrew from this assistance . For there is a kind of reproach and increpation laide vpon Reuben in that question , Why abodest thou amongst the sheep-folds ? The diuisions of REVBEN were great thoughts of heart . Verse 16. Ambition of precedencie in places of employment , greatnes of heart , and a lothnesse to be vnder the commaund of any other , and so an incoherence , not concurring in Counsailes and Executions , retard oftentimes euen the cause of God . So is there also a reproach and increpation vpon Dan , in that question , Verse 17. why did Dan remaine in his ships ; A confidence in their owne strength , a sacrificing to their owne Nets , an attributing of their securitie to their owne wisedome or power , may also retard the cause of God ; that stayed Dan behinde .

Thus then they haue their thankes that doe , thus their markes that doe not assist in Gods cause : though God to encourage them that doe , accomplish his worke himselfe ; They fought from heauen , The Starres in their order fought against Sisera . They fought , sayes the Text , but does not tell vs who ; least men should direct their thankes for that which is past , or their prayers for future benefits , to any other , euen in heauen , then to God himselfe . The stars are nam'd ; It could not be feared that Men would pray to them , sacrifice to them , Angels & Saints are not named ; Men might come to ascribe to them , that which appertained to God onely . Now these Stars , sayes the text , fought in their courses , Manentes in Ordine , they fought not disorderly . It was no Enchantment , no Sorcery , no disordring of the frame , or the powers , or the influence of these heauenly bodies , in fauor of the Israelites ; God would not be beholden to the Deuill , or to Witches , for his best friends . It was no disorderly Enchantment , nor it was no Miracle , that disordered these Starres ; as in Iosuahs time , the Sunne and Moone were disordred in their Motions ; But as Iosephus , who relates this battaile more particularly , sayes , with whom all agree , The naturall Influence of these heauenly bodies , at this time , had created and gathered such stormes and bayles , as blowing vehemently in the Enemies face , was the cause of this defeate : for so wee might haue said , in that deliuerance , which God gaue vs at Sea , They fought from heauen , The Starres in their order fought against the Enemie . Without coniuring , without Miracle , from heauen , but yet by naturall meanes , God preserued vs . For that is the force of that phrase , and of that maner of expressing it , Manentes in Ordine , The Starres , containing themselues in their Order , fought . And that phrase induces our second part , the accommodation , the occasionall application of these words : God will not fight , nor be fought for disorderly ; And therefore in illustration , and confirmation of those words of the Apostle , Let all things be done decently , and in order , Aquinas , in his Commentaries vpon that place , cites , and applies this Text , as words to the same purpose , and of the same signification . You , sayes Saint Paul , you who are Stars in the Church , must proceede in your warfare , decently , and in order , for the stars of heauen , when they fight for the Lord , they doe their seruice , Manentes in Ordine , containing themselues in their Order . A●d so in our order , we are come to our second part . In which , we owe you by promise made at first , an Analysis , a distribution of the steps and branches of this part , now when wee are come to the handling thereof : And thus wee shall proceede ; first , the Warre , which wee are to speake of here , is not as before , a Worldly warre , it is a Spirituall War : And then the Munition , the prouision for this warre , is not as before , temporall assistance of Princes , Officers , Iudges , Merchants , all sorts of People , but it is the Gospell of Christ Iesus , and the preaching thereof . Preaching is Gods ordinance , with that Ordinance hee fights from heauen , and batters downe all errors . And thirdly , to maintain this War , he hath made Preachers Stars ; and vae si non , woe be vnto them , if they doe not fight , if they doe not preach : But yet in the last place , they must fight , as the Stars in heauen doe , In their order , in that Order , and according to those directions , which , they , to whom it appertaines , shall giue them : for that is to fight in Order . And in these foure branches , wee shall determine this second part .

First then we are in Contemplation of a Spirituall warre ; now , though there be a Beatie Pacifici , a blessing reserued to Peace-makers , to the Peace-maker , our Peace-maker , who hath sometimes effected it in some places , and alwayes seriously and chargeably , and honourably endeuoured it in all places , yet there is a spirituall Warre , in which , Maledicti Pacifici ; Cursed bee they that goe about to make Peace , and to make all one , The warres betweene Christ and Beliall . Let no man seuer those whom God hath ioyned , but let no Man ioyne those whom God hath seuered neyther , and God hath seuered Christ and Belial : and that was Gods action , Ponam inimicitias ; The Seed of the woman , and the Seed of the Serpent , wee and the Deuill , should neuer haue fallen out ; wee agree but too well ; but God hath put an enmity betweene vs . God hath put Truth and Falshood , Jdolatrie and Sinceritie so farre asunder , and infused such an incompatibilitie , and imprinted such an implacabilitie betweene them , as that they cannot flow into one another : And therefore , there , Maledicti Pacifici , It is an opposition against God , by any colourable Modifications , to reconcile opinions diametrally contrary to one another , in fundamentall things . Day and Night may ioyne and meet . In Diluculis and in Crepusculis , The dawning of the day , in the Morning , and the shutting in of the day in the Euening , make day and night so much one , as sometimes you cannot tell which to call them : but Lux & tenebrae , light and darknes , Midnight and Noone neuer met , neuer ioynd . There are points , which passions of men , and vehemence of disputation , haue carried farther a sunder then needed : and these indeed haue made the greatest noyse ; because vpon these , for the most part , depends the matter of profit : and Beati pacifici , blessed were that labour , and that labourer , that could reconcile those things ; and of that there might bee hope , because it is often but the Persons that fight , it is not the thing , the matters are not so different . But then there are matters so different , as that a Man may sit at home , and weepe , and wish , prayse God that hee is in the right , and pray to God for them that are in the wrong , but to thinke that they are indifferent , and all one , Maledicti Pacifici , hee that hath brought such a Peace , hath brought a curse vpon his owne Conscience , and laid , not a Satisfastion , but a Stupefaction vpon it . A Turke might perchance say , in scorne of vs both , They call you Heretiques , you call them Idolaters , why might not Idolaters , and Heretiques agree well enough together ? But a true Christian will neuer make Contrarieties in fundamentall things indifferent , neuer make foundations , and superedifications , the Word of God , and the Traditions of men , all one . Euery man is a little world , sayes the Philosopher ; Euery man is a little Church too ; and in euery man there are two sides , two armies : the flesh fights against the Spirit . This is but a Ciuill warre , nay it is but a Rebellion indeed ; and yet it can neuer be absolutely quenched . So euery man is also a Souldier in that great and generall warre , betweene Christ , and Beliall , the Word of God , and the will of man . Euery man is bound to hearken to a peace , in such things as may admit peace , in differences , where men differ from men ; but bound also to shut himselfe vp against all ouertures of peace , in such things , as are in their Nature irreconcileable , in differences where men differ from God . That warre God hath kindled , and that warre must bee maintain'd , and maintain'd by his way ; and his way , and his Ordinance in this warre , is Preaching .