G 0 D A M A N OF w A R. Book II. METAPHOR. IX. Ajoft and a generous War– rior fets forth his Declarations of the Equity of his Caofe, and the End of his ~arrel. PA R ALLEL. IX. God bath publiil1ed in his Word the Rea– fans why he prepares for War againft a People or Natwn: They have moved lite to Jealoujj with that which is not God, they have provoked me to Anger with their Vanities; and I will move them to 'jea– loujj with thofe that are not a People, I will provoke them to Anger with a, foolijh Na– tion: For a Fire is kindled in mine £1nger, and /hall burn unto the loweft Hell, &c. I will heal! Mifcbiefs upon tbem, I willjpend mine.Arrows upon them, Deut. xxxii. 21, 21, 13. It rs becaufe Men turn not from the>r Stns: 'I' hey profefs to k11ow God, but in Works deny him, fetiing up the Creature injfead of the Crentor. For the Iniquity of his Covetouf mfs (faith God) I was wroth. Men Oightthe Offers and Tenders of the Gofpel, and though they add Drunkennefs to Thirft, they think they !hall have Peace; and tor that Reafon God proclaims War, and faith, he hath whet his Sword. Wherefore was it that God brought his Sword upon Jerufalem, and gave it into the Hands of the Bab;•lonians? Was it not for rejecting his Word, and defpifing his Meffengers? H ence his Wrath came upon them, till there was no Remedy ; hence Jerufalem was given up again to be trade down by the Romans, viz. becaufe they rejected Chrift and the Gofpel. X. God hath given a Banner to them that fear · him, that it might be difplayed becaufe of the X. A great \'Varrior gives his Soldiers Banners to be difplayed. Truth, Pfal. lx. 4· or as Ainfworth renders it, to be high-difplaycd becaufe of the certain Truth. The Word Banner, or Enfign, (as Ainfworth upon the Place fays,) is applied to the Flag or Enfign of the Gofpel, !fa. x(. I 2. xlix. 2 2. and lxii. IO. Here, to David, and his Victory, &;. XI. A Warrior, before he XI. God animates and encourages his People, fights, anima,es and encourages as he did Jo.Jhua.-'l'here .fhall not any Man be able his Soldiers, and provokes them to jfand before thee, all the Days of thy Life: As I to valorous and undaunted Actiwas with Mofes, fo I will be with thee; I wilt oos. not Jail thee, nor fmfake thee. Be jfrong, of a good Courage, &c. Only be thou flrong, and very courageous.-For then thou .fhalt make thy Way projperous, and then thou .fhalt have good Succefs, Jofh. i. 5, 6, 7, &c. XII. fhe General, or chief Warrior, marches in the Head of his Army, and leads them on in Perfon to Battle. XII. God himfelf comes into the Field with his People. How often doth he tell them, that he is with them? The Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight. He affrfts them, directs them, relieves them. None can march under a better Commander, and he is the beft Helper. The Lord is on my Side, I will not fear what Mm1 can do unto me. 'I' he Lord taketh my Part with them that help me; thereforefhall I fee my Diftre upon them that hate me, Pfal. cxviii. 6, 7, &c. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not difmayed, for I am thy God. I will jfrengthen thee; yea, I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold thee, witb the Arm of my R ighteoufnefs, !fa. xlt. I o, I I. Lo I am with you always, to the End of the World, Matt. xxviii. ult. XIII. A prudent Warrior takes XIII. As the Lord goes before, fo he is the care not only of his Front, but of Rereward of his People. Ye .Jhall not go out with theRearof his Army; he manages hajfe, nor go bj Flight; for the Lord will go before their Retreat, as well as the Onfet. you, and the God of Ifrael will be your Rereward, !fa. lii. 1 2. He is in the Front, in the Rear, in the Middle, and the Flanks; therefore all is fafe, becaufe he is invincible. XIV. A royal Warrior is careXIV. God is a liberal Rewarder of his People, ful in providing Pay for his Sol- (though his royal Munificence is purely an ACt of diers at his own Charge. Grace, not Debt or Obhgaoon, becaufe we are his, and when we have done all, we are unprofit· able Servants, &c. He that overcometh, fhall inherit all Things, Rev. xxi. '7· METAPHOR. I. THE moft renowned Con– queror, or moft li.rcccfsful Captain on Earth, is vulnerable and mortal. Alexander would be D IS PAR I T Y. I. GOD, the fpiritual Warrior, is the eternal Jehovah, who formed Man, and all Things elfe : Thou hajf laid the Foundatiom of the Earth, and the Heavens are the Works of thy Hands: They' .Jhall
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=