Page:God's Promise to His Plantation.pdf/22

 Secondly, it is taken from the office God takes upon him, when he is our planter, hee becomes our husbandman; and if hee plant us, who shall plucke us up? Isay 27. 1, 2. Iob 34. 29. When he giveth quiet, who can make trouble? If God be the Gardiner, who shall plucke up what hee sets down? Every plantation that he hath not planted shall be plucked up, and what he hath planted shall surely be established.

Thirdly, from the nature of the blessing hee conferres upon us: When he promiseth to plant a people, their dayes shall be as the dayes of a Tree, Isay 65. 22. As the Oake is said to be an hundred yeares in growing, and an hundred yeares in full strength, and an hundred yeares in decaying.

But it may be demanded, how was this promise fulfilled by the people, seeing after this time they met with many persecutions, at home, and abroad, many sonnes of wickednesse afflicted them; Ieroboam was a sonne of wickednesse, and so was Ahab, and Ahaz, and divers others.

Because after Davids time they had more setlednesse than before.

Secondly, to the godly these promises were fulfilled in Christ.

Thirdly, though this promise was made that others should not wrong them, yet it followes not but that they might wrong themselves by trespassing against God, and so expose themselves to affliction. Whilst they continued Gods plantation, they were a noble Vine, a right