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The Fifth Plot against the Church, in the Wilderness: Defeated by GOD.
NO sooner was Israel got safe out of the Red-Sea, and into the Barren Wilderness, but presently the Devil Projects a 5th. Plot, and plays a New-Game against the Church in the Wilderness, (so called) Act. 7. 38.) In not onely making the Multi∣tude
to murmur against Moses no less than four times about their Meat, (in the Cause and Quarrel of the Belly, as the Wilderness wanted provision, so they wanted patience to keep peace with their governors) But also in stirring up Amalek (Esau's Grand-Child, Gen. 36. 15, 16. and the Heir of his Hatred against Is∣rael, for beguiling him of his Blessing as well as Birth-right) to War against him, Exod. 17.8. These Amalekites being a Warlike People, and now fearing that the Blessing (conferr'd upon Jacob by Isaac) would be confirm'd, and [not having the fear of God before their Eyes, Deut. 25. 18.] This Seed of the Serpent Way-lays the Seed of the Woman in their passage to the Land of Promise, which was the Blessing promised: Amalek meets them by the way, not with Broad and Water, as he should have done to his afflicted Kindred, Obad. v. 10. 11, 12, 13. but with Fire and Sword, and cuts off the hindmost of them, Deut. 25. 18. Yea, and he exercis'd the Devils Craft as well as his Cruel∣ty, in smiting all that were faint and feeble, that came behind the Host, not unlike the Serpent (that Acted him) in his bruising the Heel of Israel. This (Josephus saith) was done by common consent and Council of all the Nations adjacent in their Embassadours, pitching Unanimously upon this People of A∣malek, (as being of the most Martial and Mili∣tary Spirit and Courage) to cut off Israel,
whose Renown now had so exceedingly A∣larum'd them. Israel (or the Church in the Wilderness) was at this time under great Dis∣advantages, (neither expecting any Acts of Hostility, nor being provided of due Arms and Ammunition) was much dismayed at the danger of being Assaulted by a puissant and well-armed Adversary. Now the grand Plot∣ter (Satan) had a fair Prospect of his 5th. Plot as to its success, but still the mischief of it was, he Reckon'd without his Host, even the Lord of Hosts, (that Man of War, Exod. 15. 3.) who giveth Victory (not as the De∣vil, but) as himself pleaseth: For though the Lord permitteth Amalek to oppose Israel, for the Chastizement of their Murmurings, yet had he other Designs then onely to Chastize his Church whom he had allur'd into the Wil∣derness; He must also Speak Comfortably to her Heart, Hos. 2. 14. Amalek must Fall (and therein the Devils Project) before the People of his Promise, and they must not onely be Encouraged by their Victory over the Amale∣kites, (as they had been with that over the Ae∣gyptians) but also Enriched with their Spoils, and Furnished with their Arms and Ammuni∣tion. God hath (in his Design) not onely the want of Innocency in his People to Chastize with Rods, but also the Guilt of Insolency in his Ene∣mies to Scourge with Scorpions.
Amalek (indeed) comes forth to meet Israel, but
it was to meet his own ruine, and to fetch in his own destruction, which Moses [Precando] by Praying, and Joshua [Praeliando] by Fight∣ing brought upon him: Moses in the Mount lifts up the Rod to God, as a Standard against Amalek; and Joshua in the Valley Engages them: and Moses Prayers gave most-effectual Pushes as well as Joshua's Pikes against the E∣nemy. Moses Orat & Vincit, Cessat & Vinci∣tur, v. 12. While Moses Devotion goes down, Amaleks Courage gets up and prevaileth; but when it goes up and keeps up, being sustained upon Christ, the Stone of Israel, then Amalek is discomfitted, v. 13. And being the first Na∣tion that Warr'd against the Church after her deliverance from Aegypt, Gods Hand is upon his Throne, Swearing, That he will have a perpetual War with Amalek, and wipe out the Remembrance of them from under Heaven, v. 14, 16. Amaleks Hand had been lifted up against Gods Throne, (his Church, so call'd, Jerem. 14. 21. Now Gods Hand is lifted up upon his own Throne, in taking this Solemn Oath, That he would wage War against Amalek for ever: This present Discomsiture was but a [praeliba∣men] or Pledge of this perpetual War. As a lasting Monument of Gods great Mercy to Is∣rael in this first Victory. Moses Builds an Al∣tar, and calls it [Jehovah Nissi,] that is, The Lord is my Banner, under whose Standard he had got the Victory: And as a lasting Memo∣rial
of Gods great Wrath against Amalek in this first Opposition, Moses must Record this of them, (either in the Book of the Wars of the Lord, Numb. 21. 14. which is latent, or in the Pentatuch which he was then Writing, and now Extant,) That they should utterly be destroy∣ed. This Saul should have done, 1 Sam. 15.7. &c. destroying onely some, David destroyed more, 2 Sam. 8. 12. Such as escaped those De∣structions, were destroyed by the Simeonites in Hezekiah's time, 1 Chron. 4. 41, 42, 43. Lastly, Haman and his Ten Sons were slips of this cursed Stock, and Hanging was their end, and the end of that Race of Rebels (being the last that we read of) to be Rooted out. Oh how dangerous it is to Anger the Antient of Days his Forbearance (for many Hundred Years) is no Forgiveness: 'Twas 400 Y. after when God gave Command to destroy them utterly, 1 Sam. 15. 2. and long after that, God made a War against them, and at last did Root them out, [Root and Branch] thus Amalek, Hebrew sig∣nifying [Populus Ling••us] a Licking People, that had licked up the Hindmost of Israel, the Wrath of God licked them all up as Fire doth Stubble, who can stand before Everlasting burn∣ings, Isa. 33. 14. The Church's Protesta•••••• is Consuming fire to them, Hebr. 12. last, who not onely Laughs but Burns, not onely their Plots but their Persons, to nothing. A Man had better Anger all the Witches in the World,
Yea, all the Devils in Hell; as Anger this One Jealous God, the Heat of whose Wrath lasts longer, and Burns deeper than the Coals of Ju∣niper, Psal. 120. 4. His Judgements are severe and durable, never Rots in the Sky: 'Twas this Divine Wrath that waged War against Amalek from one Generation to another, un∣til it came at last to an utter Extirpation; Ha∣man (the Agagite) of the Blood-Royal of A∣malek, descending from Agag their King whom Saul spared) is Hanged, no more of that Re∣bellious Race (that Warr'd against Israel with∣out Cause or Provocation) do we Read of, the Wicked are forgotten, Eccles. 8. 10. Yea, the Devil (that set them on work) is Chain'd and Defeated: The Church (by her Champions help) abides for ever.