THere are two things may comprehend all Religion , the knowledge of God and of our selves : these are the principles of Religion , and are so nearly conjoyned together , that the one cannot be truely without the other , much lesse savingly ; It is no wonder that Moses crave attention , and to the end he may attain it from an hard hearted deaf People , that he turns to the Heavens and to the Earth , as it were to make them the more inexcuseable . The matter of his Song is both divine and necessary , throughout it all he insists upon these two , to discover what they were to themselves , and what God was to them ; he paralels their way with his way , that they finding the infinite distance , might have other thoughts of themselves and of him both . It is a Song it is true , but a sad Song : The people of Gods mourning should be of this nature , mixed , not pure sorrow . It s hard to determine , whither there be more matter of Consolation or Lamentation , when such a comparison is made to the life : when God's goodness and our evils are set before our eyes , which may most work the heart to such affections . Nay , I think it is possible they may both contribute to both these . Is there any more abasing and humbling principle then Love ? How shall the sinner loath it self in his glorious presence ? will not so much kindnesse and mercy so often repeated , as oft as it is mentioned , wound the heart in which there is any tendernesse ? And again , when a soul beholds its own ingratitude and evil requital of the Lords kindness , how vile and how perverse it is , how must it loath it self in dust and ashes ? yet is not all ground of hope removed , such a sad fight may make mixed affections : if we be so perverse and evil , then he is infinitely good , and his mercy and goodnesse is above our evils ; if we have dealt so with him , yet is he the Rock that changes not , he is a God of Truth and will not fail in his Promise . Nay , though it be sad to be so evil , void of all goodness , yet may the soul blesse him for evermore , that hath chosen this way to glorifie his Name , to build up his praise upon our ruine ; May not a soul thus glory in sad infirmities , because his strength is perfected i● them and made manifest ? May not a sou● choose emptinesse in it self , that it may be behold en to his Fulnesse ? How refreshing a view might the sadest look on our misery and emptiness be , if we did behold his purpose of manifesting his Glory in it ? Ye see here a comparis● instituted between two very unequal partie● God and Man , there is no likenesse , let be equality in it , yet there is almost an equality in unliknesse . The one is infinitely good and perfect ; well , what shall we compare to him , who is like thee O God among the gods ? Angels goodnesse , their perfection and innocency , hath not such a name and appearance in his sight ; so then , there can be no comparison made this way , let no flesh glory in his sight in any thing , but , let him that glorieth , glory in the Lord , for in the sight of the glorious Lord , all things do disappear and evanish . But surely nothing , though most perfect , can once come within termes of reckoning beside him for any worth : Moses sees nothing to set beside God , that will appear in its own greatnesse and native colours , but the Creatures evil and sin , and if this be not infinite absolutely , or equal to his goodnesse , yet it comes nearest the borders of infinitenesse : so then , is God most perfect ? is he infinite in Goodness , in Truth , in Righteousnesse , & c ? And so infinite , that before him nothing appeares good ? none good save one , that is God . Yet we may find another infinite , and it is in evil sinful man ; and these two contraries set beside other , do much illustrate each other . It s true that his Grace super-abounds , and his goodnesse is more then the creatures sinfulness ; yet I say you shall not find any thing that cometh nearer the infinitnesse and degrees of his goodnesse , then the sinfulness of men ; How much the more glorious he appeares , so much the more vile and base doth it appear .

If ye did indeed ponder and weigh these two Verses in the ballance of the Sanctuary , would not your heart secretly ask this question within you , do I thus require the Lord , O foolish and unwise ? yea , would ye not account your selves mad to forsake the fountain of living waters and dig broken cisternes to your selves . O! of how great moment were this to humble your souls to day ? This day ye are called to mourning and afflicting your souls . Now I know not a more sutable exercise for a day of humiliation , or a principle that may more humble and abase your souls , then the serious and deep consideration of these two , what God is , and hath been to us , and what we are and have proved to him ; what hath made so many formal humiliations that have provoked him to anger ? certainly we do not either seriously think on any of these , or if on one of them , yet not on both ; the most part of you know no more in such a day , but a name and ceremony of a little abstinence . Is this to sanctifie a day to the Lord ? when ye do not so much as the people , who bowed down rheir head for a day and spread sackloth under them . I wonder how ye think to pacifie his Wrath , and are not rather afraid of adding fewel and oyl to the flame of his indignation . Ye come here and sit as in former times , and what do ye more either here or at home ? There is no soul-affliction , no not for a day ; the most part of you are no more affected with your sins and his judgements , then if none of these things were . Now I pray you , what shall the Lord say to us , when he speaks to the Jews in such termes Isai. 58. 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen , a man for a day to afflict his soul ? And do ye so much as afflict it for a day , or at all ? Is this then the Fast tha● he will chose , to abstain from your breakfast i● the morning , and at night to compense the want of it and no more ? Is this an acceptable day to the Lord ? the Lord upbraides the Jews , will thou call this a fast ? and what reason have we to ask you , is it possible ye think ye do indeed fast to the Lord ? I cannot think that the most part of you dare say , that ever ye fasted or afflicted your souls .

Always here is the way , if we consider it , to spend a day acceptably to the Lord , enter in a serious consideration of his Majesty , and your selves ; study on these two , till ye find your hearts bear the stamp of them , enlarge your hearts in the thoughts of them ; both are infinite , his goodnesse and power and mercy , and your sin and misery , no end of them ; what ever ye find good in God , write up answerably to it , so much evil and sin in your selves and the land : and what evil ye find in your selves and the land , write up so much goodnesse and mercy in his account . All the names of his praise would be so many grounds of your confusion in your selves , and would imprint so many notes of reproach and disgrace upon the Creature , found so contrary to Him . This is even the exercise God calls us to this day , to consider his wayes to us , and our wayes to him , how he hath walked , and how we have walked ; because ye lose the sight of these two , he sends affliction , because in our prosperity and peace we forget God , and so our selves ; as ye find this people did , when ihey waxed fat they kicked against him , and forgat that he was their rock ; we are so much taken up with our own ease and peace , that we do not observe him in his dealings ; therefore doth the Lord trouble our Peace , removes these things we are taken up with , makes a publick proclamation of affliction , and blessed be his Name whose end is gracious , he means this , it is the proclamation of all his Judgments , turn your eyes off your present ease here , consider what I am , and what your selves are . No Nation so soon buries the memory of his Mercies , O how soon are they drowned in oblivion , and we forget our own provocations , as suddenly , therefore must he write our iniquities upon a rod , that we may read them in great Letters , and he writes his former goodness in the change of his Dispensations , when his way to us changes , that we may know what is past . This is the great design that God hath in the World , to declare himself and his own Name , that it may be wondered and admired at by men , and this cannot be but by our ruine , a basing us in the dust ; He therefore uses to stain the pride of all glory , that his alone may appear without spot . This is then the great controversie of God with men and nations in all generations , they will not see him alone exalted , and will not bow before him , and see their own vilenesse . Why doth he overturn Kingdomes and Thrones ? why doth he shake Nationes so often ? here it is , Gods controversie will never cease , till all men acknowledge him in his highnesse and holinesse , as the sole Fountain of all Life , and find themselves vile , lesse then nothing , nay worse then nothing and emptinesse . If ye would then have God at peace with the land and your selves ; here is the compendious way , set him up a Throne of eminency in your hearts , and put your selves in the dust , take with your own guiltiness and naughtinesse , and impossibility to help your selves , in your selves ; hold these two still in your eyes , that he may be alone exalted .

Look how unequal a match , Ver. 4. 5. He is the Rock , a Rock indeed , if we speak of strength , lo , he is strong ; if of stability , he is the Lord and changes not , the ancient of dayes . Hath not thou heard and considered this , that the Almighty faints not , and wearies not . He holds forth himself in such a name to his people , a ready , all-sufficient , perpetual and enduring refuge to all that trust in him , and flie unto him as a Rock higher then they ; and this is the foundation that the Church is builded on , against which the gates of hell shall not prevail . Gods Omnipotency for defence , his eternity , faithfulnesse and unchangeablenesse to make that sure , his mercy and goodnesse makes a hole in that Rock to enter in , a ready accesse for poor shipwrakt and broken men , who have no other refuge . This is our Rock on which the Church is builded , Jesus Christ , I Cor. 10. 4. Matth. 16. 18. God were inaccessible in himself , an impregnable Rock ; how would sinners overcome him , and enter into him , to be saved from Wrath ? Nay , but Jesus Christ hath made a plain way and path , out of the waves of sin and misery , into this Rock higher then we ; and so the poor soul that is lost in its own eyes , and sees no refuge , is forced to quite the broken ship of created confidence , for fear of perishing ; how doth it find a door in this Rock to enter ? and there is water to drink of , a fountain of living waters comes out of it , and that is Christ .

Now all these Names of his praise rub so many marks of shame on his people ; O how sad is the secret reproof and expostulation contained in this commendation of God , he hath been a Rock to us , our refuge that we fled unto , and found sure ; for as in our straits , we mounted upon his power and were supported , when the floods lifted up their waves , yet have we left our Rock , gone out from our strength ; He offers himself a Rock unto us , his fulness and all sufficiency for us , and yet we leave the fountain of living waters and digs broken Cisterns , had rather choose our own broken ship to toss up and down into . He abides for ever the same ; though we change , he changes not . How may it reprove our back-slidings , that we depart from our Rock , and where shall we find a refuge in the day of indignation ? Is there any created mountain but some floods of the time will cover ; therefore it is folly and madness to forsake this Rock that is still above the floods , be is mightier then the noise of many waters . It may reprove our unbelief , we change our Faith according to his Dispensation , our Faith ebbs and flows as the Tide of his Providence , and thus we are as sticks fleeting in the water , tossed up and down ; but would ye be established as Mount Sion ? would ye be unmoveable in the midst of great waters , that they shall not come near unto you ? then by all means get upon this Rock , that abides unmoved in the midst of the waves , though they should beat on it , and the wind blow , yet it is proof of all tempest ; all things might be driven up and down about you with the Lords dispensation , but ye should abide the same , and might look round about you on the troubled sea of mens minds , of lands and estates . If you come here , ye may make ship-wrack , but ye shall not drown , though ye loss the creatures comfort and defence , yet ye are on your Rock , which is established before the rocks and mountains : you may be sure of salvation , he that made the rocks and winds and seas , is your Rock .

His Work is perfect ] As he doth not trouble himself when all is troubled about him ; so he keeps him also in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on him , so also what he doth among men , though it cannot pass without mans censure , yet it is in it self perfect , compleat , without spot or defect . What is the subject of all mens questions , doubts , complaints , censures , expostulations and such like , of which the World is full ? It s some one Work of God or other ; there is no Work of his Providence , but some man finds a fault in it , and would be at the mending of it . neque Deus cum pluit , omnibus placet , if he give rain he displeases many , if he withhold it again , we are as little pleased . The reason of all this misconstruction is , we look on his Work by parcels , and takes it not whole and intire , so it is perfect and cannot be made better . His Works are perfect in relation to the beginning and original of them , his own everlasting purpose ; men often bring forth works by guesse , by their purpose , so no wonder it answer not their desire ; but known to him are all his works from the beginning , and so he doth nothing in time , but what was his everlasting pleasure ; often we purpose well , and resolve perfectly , but our practice is a criple , execution of it is maimed and imperfect ; but all his Works are carved out , and done just as he designed them , without the least alteration ; and if it had not been well , would he have thought on it so , and resolved it before hand ? His Works are perfect in relation to the end to which he appointed them . It may be it is not perfect in it self , a blind eye is not so perfect as a seing eye , nay , but in relation to the glory of his Name , who hath a purpose to declare his power by restoring that sight , it is as perfect . And in this sense , all the imperfection of the Creatures and Creation , all of them are perfect Works , for they accomplish the end wherefore they were sent ; and so the night declares his Name and utters a speech as well as the day , the winter as the summer , the wilderness as the fruitful field , for what is the perfection of the Creature , but in as far as it accomplishes his purpose and end , as the maker of it serves himself with it , and therefore all his Work is perfect , for it is all framed in Wisdome , to his own ends , in number , measure and weight ; it is so exactly agreeing to that , that you could not imagine it better . Again , his Work is perfect , if we take it all together , and do not cut it in parcels , and look on it so . Is there any workmanship beautiful , if ye look upon it in the doing , while the Timber lies in one part , and the Stones in another ? is that a perfect building when ye see one arm here , another there , & a leg scattered beside them ? hath that image any comliness ? certainly no ; but look upon these united , and then they are perfect ; Letters and syllables make no sense , till ye conjoyn them in words , and words in sentences . Even so is it here , if ye look on the day alone ; the light of it being perpetual would weary us , the night alone would be more so ; but the interchange of them is pleasant , day and night together make a distinct language of Gods praise ; So God hath set prosperity and adversity the one over against the other , one of them it may be , seems imperfect , nay , but it is a perfect Work that is made up of both ; Spots in the face commend the beauty of the rest of it .

If ye would then look upon Gods Work aright , look one it in the Sanctuaries Light , and ye shall say , He hath done all well . Joyn the end with the beginning , and behold , they agree very well ; Many things among us seem out of order , many things uncompleat ; The reformation of England , how great obstruction was in the way of it ? Is that now a perfect work ? Yes certainly ; for if we knew his end and purpose , it is very well , and could not be bettered by the Art of all men ; His thoughts are far above our thoughts . The prosperous and uninterrupted successe of that party in England , is it a perfect work ? yes certainly , for if ye could behold their end ye would say so , they are set in slippery places , their foot shall slide in due time .

Entertain in this thought in your heart , that he hath done all well , let not your secret thoughts so much as call them in question , if once ye question , ye will quickly censure them ; hold this perswasion , that nothing can be better then what he doth , nothing can be added and nothing diminished from them , he doth all in number , weight and measure , it s so exactly correspondent to his purpose and designe , as if it were weighed out and measured out for that end .

Let this secretly reprove your hearts , the perfection of his Works stains our works , O how imperfect are they ? And which is worse , how impudent and bold are we to censure his , and absolve our own ? If he have a hand in our work , yet these imperfect works , are perfect in regard of him , as we have a hand in his perfect Works , yet his perfect Works are imperfect in regard of us .

THere are none can behold their own vilenesse , as it is , but in the sight of Gods glorious holinesse : Sin is darknesse , and neither sees it self , nor any thing else , therefore must his light shine to discover this darknesse . If we abide within our selves , and men like our selves , we cannot wisely judge our selves ; our dim sparkle will not make all the imperfections and spots appear ; but if men would come forth in the presence of his Majesty , who turns darkness into light , and before whom hell is naked , O how base and vile would they appear in their own eyes ? Is it any wonder that the multitude of you see not your selves , when holy Esay and Job , had this lesson to learn ? Esay gets a discovery of his own uncleannesse in the sight of Gods glorious holinesse , Ch. 6. 5. which I think made all his former light darknesse ; He cryes out unclean as if he had never known it before ; And so Job , since I saw thee I abhored my self in dust and ashes ; Ye hear much of him , and it doeth not abase you , but if ye saw him , ye would not abide your selves ; you would prefer the dust you trade on to your selves . Ye who know most , there is a mystery of iniquity in your hearts , that is not yet discerned , ye are but yet in the coast of that bottomlesse Sea of abomination and vilenesse . Among all the aggravations of sin , nothing doth so demonstrate the folly , yea , the madnesse of it , as the perfection , goodnesse , and absolute unspottednesse of God . It s this that takes away all pretence of excuse and leaves the famine nothing , no place to hide its confusion and nakednesse and shame into . And therefore is it that Moses , when he would convince this people of their ways and make them inexcusable , he draws the paralel of Gods ways and their ways , declares what God is , how absolutly perfect in himself and in his works , had given no cause of provocation to them to depart from him ; And then how odious must their departing be ? When both are painted on a brod before their eyes ; it makes sin become exceeding sinful , When the Lord would pierce the hearts of his people , and ingrave a challenge with the point of an Diamond he uses this as his pen , Have I been a wilderness to Israel , a Land of darkness , why say my people , we are Lords we will come no more to thee , Jer. 2. 31. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me , that they are gone from me and walked after vanity , Jer. 2. 5.

There are two things in sin that exceedingly abuse the creature , the iniquity of it , and folly and madness of it : It s contrare to all equity and reason to depart from him that hath made us , and given us a Law , to whom we are by so many obligations tyed . But what is the folly and madness of it ? to depart from the fountain of living waters , and dig broken Cisterns that can hold none . Ver. 13. This is a thing that the heavens may be astonished at , and if the earth had sense to understand such a thing , the whole fabrick of it would tremble for horrour at such a madnesse and folly of reasonable souls : And this evil hath two evils in it , we forsake life , and love death , go from him , and choose vanity . It 's great iniquity to depart without an offence on his part ; He may appeal all our consciences and let them sit down and examine his way most narrowly , what iniquity have ye found in me ? what cause have ye to leave me ? But when withall he is a living fountain , he is our glory , he is a fruitful land , a land of light , our ornament and attire , in a word , our life and our consolation , our happiness and our beauty ; what word shall be found , to express the extream madness of men to depart from such an one ? & change their glory into that which doth not profit ? If either he were not a fountain of living waters , or if there were any fountain beside , that could yield water to satisfie the unsatiabledesires of men , it were more excusable , but what shadow shall be found , to cover such an iniquity , that is both infinite sin and incomparable loss ? It s the Scriptures stile given to natural men , fools and simple , all sin hath folly in it , but the people of Gods departing from him hath extremity of folly in it , beside iniquity , because they do embrace a dung-hill in instead of a Throne , they make the madest exchange that can be imagined , glory for shame , life for death , at least consolation and peace , for vanity and vexation and anguish of spirit .

If ye would be duely affected with the sight of your own evils , look upon them in this consideration , and in the view of God your large portion , ye will be forced to confess your selves beasts in his sight , Psal. 73. 22. Oh that men would consider how good and blessed the Lord is , how he is alone , and nothing beside him in heaven and earth , all broken cisterns , all dung and unprofitable , all vanity and vexation , he only self-sufficient , all others insufficient , and therefore a proportioned good for our necessity & desires , and I am sure ye would be constrained to cry out with David , Whom have I in heaven with thee , or in earth beside thee ? It is good for me to draw near to God . Ye would look on drawing near , and walking with him , and before him , not only as the most reasonable thing , but the best thing , most beautiful for you , most profitable for you , and all other wayes would be looked on as the wayes of death .

His work is perfect ] The Lord looked and behold all was good that was made ; so it was at first , the fabrick of this world was an exquisite and perfect work , a suitable demonstration of his infinite wisdom , wonderful in all the parts of it , and in the unity and harmony of the whole : But so also his work of providence is perfect . Divine wisdom hath framed and contrived all , and it cannot be better . If any thing seem imperfect in it self , yet it is perfect , in relation to his glorious ends he directs it unto ; and so would we look on all the works among us ; ●f any thing seemed a spot and disgrace of the creation , certainly the sin of men and Angels ; Nay , but even that is so ordered by his holy soveraignty , that in relation to his Majesty , it may be called a perfect work . If ye do but consider what a glorious high Throne he hath erected to himself for justice and judgement to be the habitation of it , and mercy and truth to go before it , upon the ruins of defaced man , what a Theater of Justice he hath erected upon the Angels falls , ye would call it as perfect a work as is in the world . His work is one in the world , subordinate to one great design of manifesting his own glorious justice and mercy , omnipotency and wisdom . Now what do ye see of it , but parcels , though ye comprehend all your time in one thought , yet certainly ye cannot judge it aright , for it is but one work that all the several buildings and castings down , all the several dispensations of his providence from the beginning to the end make up ; and when we think upon these disjoyned , limit our consideration within the bounds of our own time ; can we rightly apprehend it ? Nay , which is worse , we use to have no more within the compasse of our thought , but some present thing , and how much more do we err then ? What beauty , what perfection , can such a small part have ? But it s present to him , who beholds with a glance all these parts , though succeeding in many generations , he sees it altogether , joyns the end with the beginning , sees the first mould , the first foundation-stone , and the last compleating , all flowing from himself , and returning thither , and ending in himself : He hath made an interchange in nature , which might teach us ; the night alone hath no beauty , nay , but it beautifies the day ; Your darkest hours and tempests , publick and personal , are they perfect works ? Yes certainly , if ye compound them with your Sun-shines , and calms ; several colours make Pictures beautiful : the one is as needful as the other . And if ye did consider your profit more then your honour and pleasure , ye would say so . He doth not model his works according to our fancy to please us , but our good to profit us , and he is wiser then we , and so then it is the most perfect work in it self , that possibly displeaseth us most . Therefore ye would judge of his dealing by another rule , nor your satisfaction ; for please you and perish you . If he spared the rod , he should hate us indeed ; fond love is real hatred . Christians , if ye would judge his works by his word , and not by your sense , by your well , and not by your will , certainly ye would say as the men did of Christ , he hath done all well , the world would discover to you a perfection , even in imperfection , a perfection in infirmities , that ye should not only rejoyce in them , but glory in them : most gladly therefore will I glory , &c. saith Paul . Are infirmities a perfect work ? Or is the suffering of Paul to be buffetted and tempted a perfect work ? What comfort is in it ? Yes much , infirmities alone are infirmities indeed ; nay , bu● infirmities in me , and strength in Jesus , weaknesse in me , and strength dwelling in me , these make up one perfect work ; that could as little want the infirmities as the strength ; the glory of God and our well and consolation require the one , as well as the other ; it could not be compleat without any of them . What do ye think of the times now , are Englands apostacy and Irelands desolation perfect works ? That great work of Reformation , that seemed to be above our shoulders , it 's now razed to the ground , and the very foundations removed . I● deformation a perfect work ? Certainly , if w● look on these things in the Scriptures light , and consider them in relation to him who is the chief builder , and doth in heaven and earth what he pleaseth , that deformation is a perfec● work , though not a perfect reformation , thoug● we could not inform you of the perfection of it yet the general might silence us , all this shall be no misse , no marr in the end . His work at the end of accompts shall appear so compleat , as i● it had never had interruption . He is wise , an● knows what he doth , if this were not for his glory and his peoples good , certainly it should no● be . Was not the peoples wandering in th● wildernesse 40. years a most strange work ? ● longer interruption of the expected and begu● voyage out of Egypt ? What humane reaso● would have styled this work with perfection ● Did they not often murmure against it ? yet Moses calls this a perfect work also . What if th● Lord be diging the ground deeper in England , that the foundation may be the surer ? What i● he be on a work of judgement , filling the cup of many deluded blasphemers , that he may have another cup of wrath prepared ? What if this be his great purpose , to execute vengeance upon a prophane generation , that will not abide the very name and form of godlinesse , by these who pretend to the name of it as their honour ? What if the Lord hath defaced all that this Kingdom was instrumental in building of in England , that he alone may have the glory in a second Temple more glorious ? Many things there may be in his mind , and he is in one mind , and who can turn him ? and what his soul desireth , even that he doth ; and this may be enough to satisfie us : He sees and knows all his works from the beginning , and without all controversie he hath provided it so , that the reproach of his Name shall be made up with the more shining of his glory , and the afflictions of his people shall be compensed with songs of deliverance . May ye not give him so much credit as ye would give to a skilful man in his own Trade ? Ye know it is his Name , Excellent in counsel , and wonderful in working ; then take his work , expound it according to his Word , and not your apprehension . It may be his work appears not excellent , nay , but if ye knew his counsel , ye would think it so . His wonderful counsel makes all his works excellent , and therefore do not take upon you to judge his works , unlesse ye could wade the depth of his counsels , else ye declare your selves to be both ignorant and presumptuous . There is a time to build , and a time to cast down , a time for every thing , saith the wise man ; now I say , he knows the time and season , he does every thing in his time . If ye come by a Work-man that is casting down a house that in your appearance seems good , would ye condemn him presently ? No , but stay till ye see what he will do next , wait till the due time , and when ye see a better piece of workmanship , on that ground ye shall absolve him . Though God often change his work , do not think he changes his Counsel and Purposes as men do . No , he is in one mind and who can turn him , therefore he had that change in his mind when he made the work , when he erected such a throne , he had this in his mind to cast it down within such a space , and so his change , his throwing down , is as perfect in his mind as his building up . Ye have large and big apprehensions of temporal Kingdoms and Crowns of Government and such like as if they were great yea only things : but they are not so to him : all this world and its standing , all the Kingdoms and their affairs are not his great work and businesse ; he hath an great work , the bringing of many sons to Glory , and compleating of Jesus Christ , building of that glorious mystical building , the holy Temple made up of living stones , of which Christ is the foundation and chief corner stone both ; and it s this that he attends to most ; other works among men though they have more noise , they are lesse concerned ; all these are but in the by , and subservient to his great designe , and like the Scaffolds of a building , that are , it may be , sometime very needful , Nay , but when the building is compleated , he shall remove all these , he hath no more use of them ; Kings shall he thy nurse-fathers , Kings shall bow to thee . He is not much concerned in government nor in Governours ; but for his little flocks sake ; and if these were gathered , all these shall have an end , and the flock alone abide for ever .

And all his ways are Judgement This is to the same purpose , his ways and his works are one , and this is the perfection of his work , that it is all right and equal , whether they be in Justice or mercy , they are all righteous and holy , no iniquity in them , his ways are straight and equal , exact as if they were measured by an exact even rule ; but because we make application of a crooked rule to them , we do imagine that they are crooked ; as the blind man judges no light to be , because he sees it not . How may the Lord contend and plead with us as with that people . Ezek. 18. 25. Is it possible that any can challe●ge him and clear themselves , Who will be Justified of all when he is judged , and before whom no flesh can be Justified ? and yet behold the iniquity of mens hearts , there is a secret reflection of our spirits upon his majesty , as if his ways were not equal ; when ever we repine against them ; and when we do not take with our iniquity , and stop our mouth with dust . Behold , the Lord will assert his own wayes , and plead with all flesh this controversie , that all his proceedings are full of equity , he walks according to a rule though he be not tyed to a rule , he walks according to the rules of Wisdom , Justice and Mercy , though his illimited soveraignty might be a sufficient ground of clearing of all his proceedings . But we walk not according to a rule , though we be bound to a rule and a rule full of equity .