Ila Chap. x . 4n Expoftion upon the Book of 3 O B. Vtrf. io údo. S. i6, Standard or Banner given to them that came againft us in 88. and when that Standard was lifted up, that Banner difplayed,with the Popes fpecial bleffrng, they accounted, nay called themfelves in- vincible. Such was their invincible ignorance, till they were taught better with Bryan and'Thorns, or rather with ftorms and winds fighting againft them. And though they have been often cozend, yet 1tí11 they retain Inch an efteem of the Popes biefiìng, "that they travel and throng for it, as for their lives, more then for all manner of riches : I may fay to them, as once that great Cardi- nal did on the lathe occafion, Seeing this people will be deceived, let them be deceived : But I delire to raife your efteem of Gods biding, for it is a certaine truth, that whomGod bleffeth, they . are bleffed; Gods bltflings are fixed and effeCual bleflìngs; if he bids , we (hall be bleffed indeed : His biellings are irre- verfible , as Balaam was forced to confefs , Behold he bath blefred, andl cannot reverie it. If once God hath bleffed, it is not in Satan, nor inall his lying Prophets, nor in all the powerof the Creature to alter it, no nor to retard or hinder it for a mo- ment. If God now give us the mercy of protection; if he make the hedge about us and biefs us in there times, we (hall be continued and eftablifhed in the land ; yea,. we fhail be increafed in the land; we fhall break forth abundantly, to the amazement of all hearers and beholders. ThoughRome curie, though Hell plot, yet if GOd biefswe are fare. This is the thing thereforethat we fhould labour for, to be un- der the influence of the bleflìng ofGod. If we have but that, we haveall;let means be what they will,great or little, or none at all, if God blefs,he can make any thing ferve the turn ; any thing with a bleng will do it ; any thing with a blefling will make us in cfeafe, yea make us a prong, a mighty, an invincible people. So that Satan and his inftruments,for very envy,fhall be forced toac- knowledge, that there is a hedge about us, which they cannot break through, that there is a wall about us, which they can nei- ther fcale,nor batter with all their Engines and Artillery. In there two verfes we have the anfwer which Satan makes to the Lords queftion : haft thou confdered my fervant Job "? You fee the dander that is in it,and howhe cloth advance the blef= frogs of God upon job, that he rnightdebafe the fervices of Job 't;oward God. Now left God fhould take him offprefently with a
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