Use. Learn not to be troubled at the great tumultnating which is amongst many against the ways of God at this day. God is mea- suring out his children's portion, giving tliem their bread in season, viewing for them the lot of their inheritance. Men of the %vorld, profane Cushanites, superstitious, apostatical Midianites, ^^^ll not, cannot be quiet. Vexed they are, en^ious, and afraid, and will act according to those principles. Cushanites see religion o"\\Tied, Midi- anites theirs disclaimed, and both are alike provoked. The Lord convert them, or rebuke them ; or the one will have the armies, the other their wiles. Only judge not their hearts by the outward appear- ance always. They seem gallant to you; — indeed they are frighted, galled, vexed. I have seen a galled horse, under dressing, leap and curvet as though it had been out of mettle and spirit, when indeed it was pain and smart that made him do it. They pretend to despise us, when tlioy envy us. They look like contemners, but are tremblers. Be not troubled at their outward appearance, they have inward anguish; — they bite others, but are lashed themselves.
' Noctii dubitaiit.
OF ESSEX COUNTY, AND COMMITTEE ■ 107
XVI. Observation. The season of the church's deliverance being come, Cushan and Midian must wax vain, and perish.
That tliere is such a season, I told you before. When four hundred and thirty years are expired, Egypt must be destroyed, the Amorites rooted out, and all the nations round made to tremble. When seventy years of captivity expire, Babylon must be ruined, and the Chaldean monarchy quite v/asted, that the Jews may return. The church being to be delivered, Haman must be hanged. This you have fully set out, Rev. vi. 12-17. It is the fall of heathenish tyranny, by the prevailing of the gospel, which you have there described. Rome and Constantinople, Pojdo and Turk, are preserved for a day and an hour wherein they shall fall, and be no more. If the season of enjoying ordinances and privileges be come to this nation, that the tabernacle of God will be here amongst men ; woe be to Cush- anites! woe be to Midianites! — open opposers, and secret apostates. They shall not be able to be quiet, nor to prevail; God will not let them rest, nor obtain their purposes. The story of Haman must be acted over again ; their hearts shall be stirred up to their own ruin, Rev. XX. 8. This is the frame of perishing Babylonians in the day of Zion's restoration. The reasons are : —
1. Because at the deliverance of his people, God will plead with their enemies for their oppressions. "It is the day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion," Isa. xxxiv. 8. It is the vengeance of the Lord and his temple that lights upon them in that day, Jer. 1. 28. " The violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and. My blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say," Jer. li. 35. In this day gxeat Babylon must come into remembrance, Rev. xvi. 19, 20.
2. The discerning trial that shall and doth come along with the church's vindication, will cut off all superfluous false professors, so that they also shall perish, Mai. iii. 2, 3. Christ comes with a fan, to send away the chaff in the wings of the wind. Have we not seen this end of many zealots?
3. The Amorites live in Canaan, and must be removed. Oppres- sors and hypocrites enjoy many rites of the church, which must l)e taken from them. Rome and her adherents shall not have so much left as the name or title, appearance or show of a church. The out- ward court, which they have trodden down and defiled, shall be quite left out in the measuring of the temple. Rev. xi. 2.
Use. Bring this observation home to the first from this verse, and it will give you the use of it : proceed we to the next verse.
Verse 8. " Was the Lord displeased against the rivers ? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses, and thy chariots of salvation?"
108 A MEMORIAL OF THE DELIVERANCE
" Was tlie Lord displeased?" nnn " kindled," did he bum? — that is, in Avrath. Heat is a great ingredient in the commotion of anger in us, here alluded to, or because the effects of anger are so often compared to fire. " Against the rivers" or floods? Again : " Was thine anger?" ^Si< " thy nose or face, or thine anger," S]K signifies both. The face^ is the seat of anger's appearance: fury comes up into the face. " Was thine anger, thy troubling anger" (so the word) " against the sea," — the Red sea, through which thy people passed ; " that thou didst ride upon thy horses, and thy chariots of salvation ? " or, " thy chariots were salvation, — ' cuiTus salutares,' tliy safety-bring- ing chariots."
The words are an admiring expostulation about the mighty works of the Lord for his people, upon the sea, rivers, and inanimate creatures.
1. The rivers: — Jordan and its driving back is doubtless especially intended. The Lord showed his power in disturbing that ancient river in his course, and making his streams run backward. The stor}^ of it you have Josh. iii. 15, 16. The people being to enter into Canaan, the Lord divides the waters of that river, making them be- neath to sink away, and those above to stand on a heap. This the prophet magnifies, Ps. cxiv. 5, " What ailed thee, O Jordan, that thou wast driven back?" What mar^^ellous, powerful, disturbing tiling is happened to thee, that, contrary to thy ancient natural course, thy streams should be frighted, and run back to the springs from whence they came ?