Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

Book II. G 0 D A S T R 0 N G T 0 W E R, to all Generations. There is no putting of him in fear, and fo force him into a Com– pliance -He always keeps his Ground, till he hath done his Work, and never yields o'r gives way in Bartle. He. concludes before.hand, that his Foes mu!l fly; fo that Victory is more than half-gamed before he begms to fight. Send to Beelzebub, and he will tell you, that Legions of Angels arc to him, as the leffer Flies are unto armed Men. that he doth fcorn at Swords, and laugh at the lhaking of the Spear againfl: him.' Let Beelzebub himfelf come forth, and call all his Sons to his Affi!lance, mut– ter up both Pope and Turk, in the Fulnefs of their Strength and Power, fend to China, 'l'artar;•, Japan, &c. to fight this Man of War, the Lord of Hafts; and he will throw them, as through the Thicket of a Forefr, e!leem all their Strength like Tow, and rotten Wood, burn them together, Speak-in his Wrath, and vex them in his fore Difpleafure; thunder out of Heaven upon them, and break them all to Pieces. He can crather Heaven up in Folds, as a Cmtain, and roll it togother as a Scroll of Parchme~t.-Break up the Fountains of the great Deep.-Open the Windows of Heaven, drown them by a Deluge, affright them by ratling Peals of Thunder, rain down Hail and Thunderbolts, Frre and Brim!lone, to difperfe and confume them, So that the be!l Way is for Kings and Pnnces to be wife, for J tldges and Counfellors to be in!lruB:ed, to treat with him about Terms of Peace, to lay down their Arms, to fet afide all open Defiance, to bow to his Sceptre, to fubmit to Mercy within the Compafs of the Time fet them; and they !hall find this Man of War, this Lord of Ho!ls, this mighty God of Jacob, as merciful and generous, as ever they found him Jirong and refolved.-Though they could not put him in fear by their Force, they may win him to favor by Enrreanes, and make honorable Terms with him. Fir!l, To have all their by-part Treafons, Rebellions, and Hoflilities again!l him remitted, and by an AB: of Oblivion fo razed off the File, and obliterated, as never to be produced againfl: them any more. He will forgive Offences, not remember Iniqui– ties, be liberal in Favor; will not condemn to Slavery, to make Hewers of Wood, and Drawers of\Vater; but will promote to Dignity, take into his Army, put amoncr!l his Children, adopt to be his Sons, his H eirs, advance them to a Kingdom, r~ward them with a Crown, inve!l them with the Raiment of Princes, clothe them in Robes, place them upon Thrones, that in Grandeur of Kings they may live and reign with him for ever.-Fear not, little Flock, it is your Father's good Pleafure to give you the Kingdom, Luke xii. 32. A Crown of Righteoufnefs is from thenceforth laid up for them 1 •vhite Robes are given them, 2 'l'im. 1v. 7, 8.-They jhall fit with him upon his 'I'6rone, &c. But if they come not, he bath whet his Sword, he bath bent his Bow, he bath pre– pared his Arrows againfl tbe Perjecutors. When his Hand takes hold on Judgment, he will render his Anger with Fury, and Rebukes with Flames of Fire.-By Fire and Sword will he plead with all his Enemies, to bind their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles in Fetters of Iron. He will bring thofe that would not that he jhould rule over them, and dejfr~y them utterly.-Cut them afunder, and appoint them their Portion with Unbelievers and Reprobates, with the Devil and his Angels, Beelzebub, and his Army. And thus lhall it fare with the Enemies of the Lord of Hafts. G 0 D A S T R 0 N G T 0 W E R. 'I'he Name of the Lord is a ftrong 'l'ower, the Righteous rttnneth into it, and is fafe, Prov. xvi1i. 10. l'dy high 'l'ower, Pfal. xviii. 3· '!'he Lord is good, a Strong-hold in the Day of '!'rouble, Nab. i. 7· THES E Metaphors, Refuge, ~ Hiding-Place, Fortrefs, ~Habitation, ~ Place of Defence, Sanfluary, ~High(,.. Strong S' ower, Rock, Have the fame Import and Signification, and plainly hold forth, that God is the Safe– guard, Defence, and fure Protection of his People : Yet fuch of them, whofe Pro– ])erties aJmit of Demonihation and Enlargement different from this, are handled par– CJcularly, (to which the Reader is referred) and fo~ the reft the enfuing Parallel may ferve. To

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=