commit a trespass in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the Congregation of Israel and that man perished not alone in his iniquity What was Achan's sin which brought wrath upon all the Congregation of Israel we find Achan himself confessing it to Joshuah Josh 7.20 21. Achan answered Joshuah and said Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus have I done When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babilonish garment and two hundred shekles of Silver and a wedge of Gold of fifty shekles weight then I covered them and took them and behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent and the Silver under it The sin of these Informers seems to me equal if not greater and as likely to bring down wrath upon the Nation as Achan's sin and that for these Reasons 1. The men of Jericho were God's enemies and they and their substance were accursed of God Josh 6.17 The city shall be accursed even it and all that are therein But the righteous and all they have are blessed of the Lord Ps 3.8 Thy blessing is upon thy people not only their persons are blessed but their substance also Deut. 33.11 Bless Lord his substance See also Deut. 8.4 5. Now is it not as great a sin for these men to oppress God's friends who are the blessed of the Lord and to take away their substance which is under the blessing of God as it was for Achan to take away silver and gold and rayment from the men of Jericho which were God's enemies and both they and all that they had were under his curse 2. Achan committed his sin secretly he hid what he took in his tent Behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent He laboured to cover his sin but these men declare their sin as Sodom They are not afraid to sin openly in the sight of all men And the more openly and impudently a mans sin is committed the more provoking to God to send down his Judgments 3. Achan confessed his sin and thereby gave glory to the God of Israel Josh 7.20 These men glory in their shame and will not be brought to acknowledge their iniquity 4. Achan was punished for his trespass all Israel stoned him with stones and burnt his house with fire Josh 7.25 But these men are so far from being punished that they oft-times go away with a reward Another instance of a whole Nation suffering for the sin of one man we have in David's case David's numbring the people provoked God to send a Pestilence which in three days time slew seventy-thousand men 1 Chron. 21.2.7 And David said to Joab and to the Rulers of the People Go number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan and bring the number unto me that I may know it And God was displeased with this thing therefore he smote Israel v. 14. So the Lord sent Pestilence upon Israel and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men Let it be considered whether those Informers that go to the Assemblies of these men to take the names of those that worship God in order to the punishing them for their serving God do not sin in as high a degree as David did in the numbring the people For 1. The numbring of the people was not without a president for it was done by Moses at God's appointment in the second year after Israel came out of Egypt Num. 1 2. But to number mens names in order to punish them for being present then and where Prayer is made to God in the name of Jesus Christ and God's Word preached hath not been practised by any persons that have occurred to my observation in reading the holy Scriptures 2. David might have pretended better things to have excused his sin than these Informers have for their practice As by numbring the people he might see the accomplishment of God's promise who promised Abraham a great and numerous posterity and all the Generations from Abraham to David were but fourteen Generations Matt. 1.17 Now that there should be a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword and four hundred threescore and ten thousand in Judah beside Levi and Benjamin that were not numbred 2 Chron. 21.5.6 When David heard this great number he might have made this use of it what a demonstration is here of God's faithfulness and power that from one and him as good as dead should spring so great a multitude of men besides women and children Besides he might have said what cause have I to be thankful to God that hath put such honour upon me to make me a King of such a numerous people For in the multitude of people is the Kings honour Prov. 14.28 He might also judge it a point of prudence conducing to his credit and his peoples safety to know his strength that having so many potent enemies on every side he might judge when and with whom to make War and Peace as it becomes a wise and wary Prince to do Luk. 14.31 But these things did not excuse David from sin God saw an irregularity in David whether it were pride or curiosity or neglecting the offering that was prescribed when the people was numbred Num. 12.13 14. I shall not determine 3. David was troubled in conscience for his sin and made an humble confession of it to God 2 Sam. 24.10 And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly But we hear of no remorse from these men 4. David offended but once in this kind but these men go on in their evil way and often renew their sin 5. David when convinced of his sin was willing to have suffered death so that God would not proceed to punish Israel for his sin 2 Sam. 24.17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the Angel that smote the people and said Lo I have sinned and I have done wickedly but these sheep what have they done Let thy hand I pray thee be against me and against my father's house Whereby it is evident that he had no evil design upon the people when he caused them to be numbred But these men that go to these Assemblies to take names and watch them as they come forth in order to the getting them to be punished make it manifest that they have a design upon them to do evil to them 2. The actings of these Informers are prejudicial to the whole Kingdom because righteous men are the strength of a Nation and are blessings to the places where they live Zech. 12.5 The governours of Judah shall say in their heart The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God Prov. 11.11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted When Elisha was
them for their sins and they are very dreadful which without repentance will be their portion as hath been shewn in the second Chapter Rev. 8.4 Come out of her my people that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues As they that partake of Babylon's sins shall be partakers of Babylon's Plagues so shall they that partake of the Informers sins partake of the Informers Plagues Prov. 29.24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul The same I may say of him that is partner with these Informers he hateth his own Soul And why doth he that is a partner with a thief hate his soul Because he takes a sure and speedy course to destroy his own Soul Let me here shew you how many ways a man may be partaker with these Informers in their sin for these men do involve many others in the guilt of their hainous transgression 1. They that harbour these men in their houses and wish them good success in their undertakings are partners with them in their evil deeds 1 Joh. 2. Ep. v. 10 11. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds As he that harboureth and encourageth false teachers is partaker with them in their evil-deeds so also they that receive into their houses encourage and wish success to these men that oppose the Ministers of Christ that teach the Word of God in truth are partakers with them in their evil deeds 2. They become partakers with them in their sin who rejoyce and take pleasure and delight to see these Informers disturb the Meetings of these men Obad. v. 12 But thou shouldst not have looked upon the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger neither should thou have rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of their distress They that take pleasure in others wickedness are under the same or rather a greater guilt than those persons that commit the wickedness Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Judgment of God that they that do such things are worthy of death not only do the same but take pleasure in them that do them Hoc pejus illo saith Grotius upon the place This latter To take pleasure in them that do them is worse than the former for a man may do evil under a temptation but to take pleasure in another man's sin argues an exceeding great corruption in that man's heart God was greatly offended with Moab for rejoycing at the Assyrian spoiling the Israelites Jer. 48.26 27. Moab also shall swallow in his vomit and he also shall be in derision For was not Israel a derision unto thee was he found among thieves For since thou speakest of him thou skippedst for joy 3. Such as at the instigation of these Informers take away or buy those Goods which are taken away from men fearing God for their worshipping God and that either because they are sold at a low rate or because they would not have the Informers go without a reward Obad. 13. Thou shouldst not have entred into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity yea thou shouldst not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity nor have laid hands on their substance 4. Such as plead their cause defend and justifie them in their evil ways they are deeply guilty and partakers with them in all the evil and mischief that they do It is worse to plead for sin than to commit it As Grotius observeth Nam affectu abreptus peccat aliquis sine eo non peccaturus At qui defendunt talia docent vitio carere sane gravius delinquunt Joash thought that man worthy to dye that should plead for sin Judg. 6.31 Will ye plead for Baal will you save him He that will plead for him let him be put to death while it is yet morning To justifie a wicked man is an abominable sin in the sight of God Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord. 5. They that afford their aid help and assistance to these men in their evil designs are partakers of their sin To help an ungodly man in an evil undertaking will bring down wrath from the Lord 2 Chron. 19.2 Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. When the Apostle Paul made confession of his sin of persecution he mentions the keeping the clothes of them that stoned Stephen as an evidence of his consent to that wicked fact and his being involved in the guilt of his blood Act. 22.20 And when the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I was standing by and consenting to his death and kept the rayment of them that slew him Paul did not help to throw the stones he did but keep the rayment of those persons that stoned him and this little assistance that he gave them was a great trouble to his Conscience Take heed therefore of giving any assistance to these men either by guiding them to the places where these persons are assembled that they seek after It is recorded to Judas eternal infamy That he was guide to them that took Jesus Act. 1.16 or by telling them the names of the persons whom they find assembled together or drawing up their Informations they give unto the Magistrate or aiding them in the dispersing these Assemblies or any other way helping them in their evil way 6. Such as excite counsel and put forward these Informers to undertake their evil work are partakers with them in their sin The people of Israel were said to make the calf which Aaron made because he made it by their instigation Exod. 32.2.35 The people gathered themselves together unto Aaron and said unto him up make us Gods which shall go before us And the Lord plagued the people because they made the calf which Aaron made The guilt was equally and the plague greater upon the people for stirring up Aaron to make the calf than upon Aaron himself that made the golden calf David is charged with killing Uriah 2 Sam. 12.9 Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword yet David himself did not touch him they were the Ammonites that killed him but because David plotted and contrived his death and wrote Letters to Joab to set him in the forefront of the battel where he was slain Ch. 11.14 15. Uriah's blood was laid to David's charge Jezabel stirring up Ahab to work wickedness made her a partaker of Ahab's guilt 1 Kings 21.25 There was none like unto Ahab that did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord whom Jezabel his wife stirred up 7. Such as hire those Informers to undertake this
will not molest them but we cannot bear their numerous meetings Ans Several Reasons may be given why these men do not content themselves nor can be satisfied in Conscience to preach only to their own Families and four or five more of their Neighbours I will mention three or four 1. Their commission runs to preach the Gospel to every creature that is willing to hear them Mark 16.15 Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature Their commission is not limited to their Families but reacheth every place where God calls them neither to a few persons but to every creature that is willing to be taught by them 2. They are commanded as they have opportunity to do good to all men Gal. 6.10 As we have opportunity let us do good to all men And they account the greatest good they are able to do for any persons is to preach the Gospel to them Spiritual alms are to be extended as far as those which concern the outward-man And the command there to such as have ability is Give a portion to seven and also to eight Luk. 6.30 Give to every man that asketh of thee 3. Our Lord Jesus taught all that resorted to him though they came in great multitudes Mark 2.13 All the multitude resorted to him and he taught them Mark 10.1 And the people resort unto him again and as he was wont he taught them again And when the Apostle Paul preached in his own hired house he received all that came to him and forbade none Act. 28.30 Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came unto him and preached the Kingdom of God And we are to imitate our Lord Jesus and his Apostles Our Lord Jesus was so far from forbidding multitudes resorting to him that the more people came to him the more his bowels of compassion were moved towards them and the more pains he took to instruct them Mark 6.31 And Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd and he began to teach them many things Should these men shut up their bowels of compassion and shut their doors when they see much people resorting to them How should they be of the same mind and the same Spirit that was in Jesus Christ 4. The more they preach to the more Souls are like to be saved by their Ministry And it is the duty of a Minister of the Gospel to save as many Souls as he can from eternal destruction The Apostle Paul was willing to preach to all and to carry himself as a Servant to all that he might gain the more 1 Cor. 9.19 Though I be free from all men yet I have made my self a servant to all that I might gain the more Plea 5. We have a Law for what we do when we inform against these men and cause them to be fined and their Meetings to be broken up we do nothing but what is according to the Law And therefore we hope we do not do evil in persecuting these men and suppressing their Meetings Ans 1. Suppose you had a Law for what you do yet that would not justisie your actings nor excuse your sin The Jews pretended they had a Law to put Christ to death and that by that Law he not only might but ought to be put to death Joh. 19.7 The Jews answered him we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God Yet for putting Christ to death the vengeance of God fell upon them and hath continued upon their posterity in a most dreadful and amazing manner above sixteen hundred years Paul had authority to disturb the Meetings of the Disciples and imprison them he had a commission from the High Priest to imprison all of that way which was cryed out against in those days as much as Non-conformists are in these days Act. 9.1 2. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord went unto the High Priest aad desired of him Letters unto the Synagogues that if he found any of this way whether men or women he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem And v. 14. And here he hath authority to bind all that call upon thy name And yet notwithstanding his Letters and authority Jesus Christ cryes out of him as guilty of persecution v. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The Israelites had Statutes of Omri to plead for the worshipping the Golden Calves yet that did not secure them from God's Judgments but he threatens them with desolation for their sin Micah 6.13 16 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee in making thee desolate in smiting thee For the Statutes of Omri are kept and all the works of the house of Ahab and ye walk in their counsels that I should make thee a desolation and the Inhabitants thereof an hissing Ephraim had a Commandment from Jeroboam to worship the Golden Calves yet this did not excuse Ephraim's Sin but God wasted Ephraim with secret and open Judgments for walking willingly after that commandment being both as a Moth and a Lion to Ephraim Hos 4.11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandment Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottenness The commandment that Ephraim walked willingly after for which he is thus threatned as also v. 14 is by most interpreters both ancient and modern understood of the commandment that Jeroboam gave the ten Tribes concerning the Golden Calves as Rivet notes on the place Hebraei interpretes nostrorum plaerique id referunt ad mandatum Jeroboam de colendis vitulis altaribus nobis erigendis The Papists that burnt the Martyrs plead Law for what they did yet all Protestants abhor and condemn their bloody practises 2. A man may execute the Law and yet be a sinner in the sight of God if that which he doth be done from an evil principle or for an evil end As for instance Though you should do nothing against these men but what is according to Law yet if your actings against them proceed from malice or hatred or from a covetous principle to get their estates or from enmity against Religion or any such like evil principle your actings are abominable in the sight of God When Jehu destroyed the house of Ahab he did that which was agreeable to the Law of God he did according to all that was in the heart of God 1 King 10.30 yet because Jehu's heart was not right in the sight of God because he sought his own ends and not the glory of God in what he did he was guilty of blood in the sight of God And God threatned to avenge the blood of the house of Ahab which was shed in Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Hos 1.4 I will avenge the