(3.) The visible opposition of the combined enemy in that nation seemed, as to our strength, unconquerable. The wise man tells us, " A threefold cord is not easily broken." Ireland had a fivefold cord to make strong bands for Zion, twisted together. Never, I think, did such different interests bear with one another for the compassing of one common end.
He that met the lion, the fox, and the ass travelling together, wondered — " quo una iter facerent" — whither these ill-matched asso- ciates did bend their course ; neither did his marvelling cease when he heard they were going a pilgrimage, in a business of devotion.
He that should meet Protestants, — covenanted Protestants, that had sworn, in the presence of the gi'eat God to extirpate Popery and Prelacy, as the Scots in Ulster; — others, that counted themselves luider no less sacred bond for the maintenance of prelates, sendee- books, and the like, as the whole party of Ormond's adherents; — joined with a mighty number that had for eight years together sealed their vows to the Romish religion with our blood and their own; — adding to them those that were profound to revolt up and down as suited their own interest, as some in Munster; — all closing with that party which themselves had laboured to render most odious and exe- crable, as most defiled with innocent blood: — ^he, I say, that should see all these, after seven years' mutual conflicting and imbruing their liands in each other's blood, to march all one way together, cannot but marvel — "quo una iter facerent" — whither they should journey so friendly together. Neither, surely, would his admiration be less- ened when he shoidd hear that the first thing they intended and agreed ujxm was, to cover the innocent blood of forty-one^ [1641], contrary to that promise, " Behold, the LoRD comcth out of his place
' I)r Owen refers to the Irisli massacre of 1641, when, by tlie lowest computa- tion, 40,000 Trotestants are said to have been shxughtfrcd. — Ed.
AND SINFULNESS OF STAGGEEING, 2S3
to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity : the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain/' Isa. xxvi. 21; and nextly, to establish Catholic religion, or the kingdom of Babel, in the whole nation, in opposition to the engaged truth, and, in our days, visibly manifested power of the Lord Jesus; with sundry such like things, contrary to their science and conscience, their covenant and light, yea, the trust and honesty, of most of the chief leaders of them. Now, how can the promise stand in the way of this hydra? what says it to this combined opposition?
[1.] Why, first, saith the Lord, " Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished," Pro v. xi. 21. Their covering shall be too short and narrow to hide the blood which God will have disclosed.
[2.] And nextly, though they will give their power to the beast, and fioht ac^ainst the Lamb, — consentinsr in this, who asree in nothino; else in the world, — yet they shall be broken in pieces; though they associate themselves, they shall be broken in pieces. If Rezin and the son of Remaliah, Syria and Ephraim, old adversaries, combine together for a new enmity against Judah, — if covenant and Prelacy, Popery and treachery, blood and (as to that) innocency, join hand in hand to stand in the way of the promise, — yet I \vill not in this join with them, says the Lord. Though they were preserved all distinctly in their several interests for seven years in their mutual conflicts, that they might be scourges to one another, yet if they close to keep off the engagement of God in the word of his promise, not much more than the fourth part of one year shall consume some of them to nothing, and fill the residue with indignation and anguish.
By what means God hath mightily and effectually ^vrought, — by mixing folly with their counsels, putting fear, terror, and amazedness upon all their undertakings, — to carry on his o^vn purpose, I could easily give considerable instances. That which hath been spoken in general may suffice to bottom us on this, that whilst we are in the v\^ay of God. all staggering at the issue is from imbelief; for he can, he will, do more such things as these.
Use 1. My first use shall be as unto temporals; for they also, as I told you, come under the promise, not to be staggered at with the limitations before mentioned. Learn hence, then, to live more by faith in all your actings; believe, and you shall be established. I have, in the days of my pilgrimage, seen this evil under the sun, — many professors of the gospel called out to public actings, have made it their great design to manage all their affairs with wisdom and poHcy, like the men of the residue of the nations. Living by faith upon the promises hath appeared to them as too low a thing for the con- dition and employment wherein they now are ; — now they must plot,
234 THE STEADFASTNESS OF THE PllOMISES,
and contrive, and design, — lay down principles of carnal, fleshly wis- dom, to Le piusued to the uttermost. And what, I pray, hath been the issue of such undertakings ?