30o Chap- 5. An Expofition upon the Book of J Q" B. Verf. t S liticians tend.Here we have the iffue or Englifh of their counfels, the meaning of their State.myfleries is interpreted, Oppreffion. Their craft concludes in cruelty, and their witty devices , in drawn Swords, flandering tongues,or the hands of violerace.Wc may fay of them, as Jacob of his Ions Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49. 5, 6. Infirts>nentsof cruelty are in their habitations. 0 my foul,come not thou in their fee rot, for on their anger they will flay men, and in their Pelf will dig down a wall. Secondly, obferve their method. Firft, here is the bloody Sword; they will cut themoff, and rid their hands of them ; if they can:Theycould wifh(as that bloody RmanEmperor)that theheads. of their fuppofed enemies(poffibly their bell friends ) were let uponone fhoulder, and that they might cut them all off-at one blow.But if God fave his poor from the mouth of the Sword,then the next weapon is the fword of their mouths;Slan- ders and defamations, lies and falfe accufations fha II reach them, whom,iron and fleel,pike and fhot cannot. The toxjue is a littlemember, but it is a world of iniquity, andboalietb ( often at}- eth )great things, Jam.3. 5,6. But if God laves his poor from both mouth and Sword, fo that their enemies cannot prevail at(harps.Then they try at biunes . bya heavy hand,toover-load, opprefs and keep them down, in their effaces, libertiesand ptiviledgcs. Obferve thirdly ; That Salvation is of the Lord. The faith of Davidgrafped this,as his richefl treafure,Pfal.68. He that is oor. God, be os the Godof falvation S The Lord is called, theGod of Salvation, as the God of comfort, both affirmative- ly and negatively. Salvation is to be had in him, and there is no falvation to be had without, him. Truly in vain is falvation he- pad for from the bibs, and from the muttotude of mountains (from Armies, or from counfels, from the power and policies of men) In the Lord our God is thefalva Lion of Ifracl, Jer. 3. 2 3. Fourthly, it is obfervable againft whom there crafty cruel men mutter up and levy the united forces offword, tongue and hand, Tiny are the poor. He faveth the poor. Why, will not God fave the rich, will he not fave the mighty , the Princes of the earth?Yes,God will lave all that fear hitst,both high & low, rich and poor. Why then is it Paid, He favetb the poor ? As is were, determining faivation upon them. The reafon is,becaufe as
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