A treatise of the divine promises in five bookes : in the first, a generall description of their nature, kinds, excellency, right use, properties, and the persons to whom they belong : in the foure last, a declaration of the covenant it selfe .../ by Edvvard Legh ...

3. Promises of GODS provi∣dence over his children.

They have an honourable guard.

1. GOD himselfe keepeth his Israel who neither slumbreth nor sleepeth. Psal. 121.4, 5. He keepeth his under the shadow of his wings, Psal. 91.14. The LORD compa∣reth himselfe to an Eagle which safely carrieth her young, Deut. 1.31. & 32.11. and to a care∣full Shepheard, Ezek. 34.12. Psal. 23.1, 2, 3. Iohn 16.12. Esay 30.21.* 1.1

The eyes of the LORD are up∣on the righteous, Psal. 34.15. a mans eye is upon one that hee loves, ubi amor, ibi oculus. The LORD hath a care of them, he loves, defends and protects them.

He saith, Psal. 32.8. I will guide thee with mine eye. Hee will guide his children by his speci∣all providence in all their waies, Psal. 121.8. Esay 46 4. He with∣draweth not his eyes from the righte∣ous, but with Kings are they on the throne, yea hee doth establish them for ever, and they are exal∣ted, Job 36.7. Hee keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken, Psal. 34.20.

There shall not a haire of your head perish,* 1.2 Luke 21 18. Matth. 10.30. Acts 27.34. Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. To expresse the tendernesse of his love, he named the tenderest part of the body, saith Salvian, that he might shew that hee is troubled with the least contamelie offered to his Saints, as we are with the least hurt of our eye. Nay hee saith not, hee that toucheth you toucheth his eye, but the apple of his eye, the tenderest piece of the tenderest part, the Chrystall

humour as the Philosophers call it,* 1.3 Ishon in Hebrew of Ish, pupilla in Latine of pupa, because therein appeareth the resemblance of a little man, or because as a man is to be prized above all other creatures, so GOD estee∣meth his people above all the world. David found by his owne experience, Psal. 17.8. Psal. 63.7. and 41.12. that GOD preserved him as the apple of his eye: and so may all Christians. What was said to Iacob, Gen. 28.15. and to Ioshua by Moses, Deut. 31.8. and by GOD himselfe, Iosh. 1.5. Paul applieth generally to all Christi∣ans, Heb. 13.5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Hee guides them in all their waies. Hee that hath mercy on them (saith the Prophet) shall leade them, even by the springs * 1.4 of water shall hee guide them, Esay 49.16.

2. Christians have the guard of Angels.

He shall give his Angels charge

ov••r thee, to keepe thee in all thy waies, they shall beare thee up in their hands least thou dash thy foot against a stone. Psal. 91.11, 12. The Angels keepe us, and that universally, in all our waies: they keepe us, and that very charily and tenderly, they beare us in their hands, and they keepe us very safely and surely, so that we dash not our feete against a stone.

The Angell of the LORD en∣campeth about them that feare him, and delivereth them,* 1.5 Psal. 34.7.

Notes

• * 1.1

  •• Chron. 16.9 Psal. 13.18 19 Deut. 11.1••.

  There are two sweet Psalmes for promises of future pro∣tection, Psal. 91. & 121.
• * 1.2

  All the haires of your head are numbred Luk. 12.7. and it is Austens in∣ference thereupon, Si fic custo∣diuntur su perstua tua, in quanta securitate est animatua. The eye is kept most diligently, and strong∣ly guarded by nature with tunicle;
• * 1.3

  Psal. 17 8. Deut. 32.10
• * 1.4

  The world is like a wil∣dernesse, the wicked like wilde beast, in a de••art; Gods chil∣dren are so provided for, that God pre∣serve•• them, yea and himselfe s••••ds them out meanes of singular refreshing all their daies.
• * 1.5

  Exod. 33 2. & 32.34.