are those not the Wise except it be in their own Conceit but Fools for long ago by Solomon's Pen God hath proclaimed them for such when he said Fools make a mock at Sin Prov. 14.9 now in Solomon's and David's stile the Fool is the Wicked Man who at the latter end shall appear to be the greatest Fool of all No jesting with Holy Things nor with God who will not be mockt and Men who believe otherwise are much deceived and if their Conscience tells them not before shall at last find they were so Sabbath-breaking is one of the Chief and Epidemical Sins of the Nation Every one that can read Scripture may know how strict and severe God was against Sabbath-breakers by his immediate command they were (a) Numb 15.32 35. stoned to death The holy Observation of that day was what he mostly required of that People not only now and then here and there but he made it the Fourth Commandment of the first Table of the Law greatly complain'd of the breach thereof and severely punish'd it upon Persons and the whole Nation There is the same reason for the Christian Sabbath in Scripture call'd the (b) Rev. 1.10 Lord's Day and several breakers thereof God hath in the Christian Church made Examples of his Judgments A great one we had in this Nation of that Prince who at several times having with Stage-Plays polluted the Lord's-Day and by means of a Book of Sports allowed and encouraged others to do so was out of the same Place where he had seen them acted brought upon the Scaffold where he lost his Life I do not pretend to dive into the secret Causes of God's Judgments but I must take notice how the Circumstance of the Place is very remarkable and we may be allowed to say how upon that Ground as well as upon others (c) Ps 76.12 God is terrible to the Kings of the Earth This is Matter of Fact Thô in his Son's Reign Piety was little regarded yet then we saw Acts of Parliament for the better Observation of the Lord's-Day to come out but now 't is thought not to be worth looking after in (d) That of 29 Ch. II. 1677. one of those Acts the Sale of any Wares Merchandizes Fruits Herbs Goods or Chattels whatsoever upon the Lord's Day or any part thereof was forbidden upon pain that every Person so offending shall forfeit the same Goods so cryed or shewed forth or exposed to sale Sabbaths were never more prophan'd then of late and now The generality of People make Play and Sport Days of them On that day we see Markets set up in many Places Children publickly at play Taverns Alehouses Coffee and Chocolate-Houses doors open and full of People and those Beasts which in the 4th Precept God had a regard to must not rest upon that day though upon every other in the Week they labour with all imaginable hardness which is a Cruelty for (e) Prov. 12.10 a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast Yet these must be for the Service of many Sabbath-breakers When the Drunkard is so fuddled that he without Reeling and Staggering cannot go he must have a Coach to carry him home We have but one true Christian Holy-day which ought to be employ'd only for Holy uses He who makes no Conscience to break the Lord's Holiday will make no Scruple of breaking any of the Ten Commandments and he who delights to observe it will the use Authority to make others observe it too 'T is strange yet true that some who in the Church have been and still are most fond after the reading of every Commandment of the fourth as well as of every one else to say Lord have merey upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law such as Pocklington Heylin and the Highest Church-men in their Writings Sermons and Discourses declared much against the Morality of the Sabbath or Lord's-Day how then can they pray to God to incline their Heart to keep a Law which they believe and profess to be abrogated But if herein one was to consult with Man's Opinion besides the Judgment of several Divines that of the good Pious and Learned James Vsher Primate of Ireland is with me of greater weight then the Authority of all Anti-Sabbatharians and all know how much in his judgment and practice he was for the strict observation of the Lord's Day One thing more though by the by and not to my present purpose I shall observe out of the Words Incline our Hearts to keep this Law it appears how the Opinion of those who compiled the Common-Prayer-Book and appointed these words to be said after every Precept was that Men cannot incline their Hearts to keep God's Law but must pray to God to do 't and consequently that to believe and obey doth not depend upon Man's Will but upon God's working upon and inclining it There is another crying Sin in the Nation which hath several branches as Lying Swearing Cursing and Perjury We have a sort of People who in this kind offend in the least Degree yet thereby contract a Guilt upon themselves out of an ill Habit and Custom upon most or any trivial account saying O Lord O God which is to take that Holy Name in vain and a Breach of the Third Commandment But others worse impiously take the Lord by his Bloud Wounds c. and swear by the Creatures 't is abominable sometimes to hear in the Streets Children of Eight and Ten years old and upwards to Curse and Damn themselves and others which ought to be the Care of Parents to prevent a horrid Sin God hath given us a Tongue to Bless not to Curse him nor our Neighbour or our selves yet some as soon as they are able to speak rap out Oaths A Curse in God's Name never falls without an Effect either against the Curser or Cursed That abominable Sin of Perjury and Swearing falsly in God's Name is too common Forswearing Covenant-breaking and Burning are so grievous a Sin as that in every judgment we undergo we may therein see a Grain of it as the Jews did in theirs in relation to the Golden Calf The Sin of Vncleanness is Loud and Epidemical in its several branches of Fornication and Adultery and there is too much cause to name Incest and Sodomy for which the Earth affords no sufficient Punishment therefore in Fire and Brimstone God as it were rained down Hell from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah Uncleanness is among People of all Conditions Ages and Kinds now as common frequent and publick as between Dogs and Bitches without Curb and Restraint put upon 't so that Whoredom is certainly one of the Master Sins of the Nation Bawdy-Houses are tolerated and even in high Places want no Advocates to speak for them at any time specially towards the Evening one can hardly go up and down the Street but he meets with Inticements and Temptations Sometimes an honest Woman who goes about her
and Country too and what doth the Lord say v. 10 11 12. hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it and for what cause There the Prophet makes an enumeration of several sins the same as now we are guilty of namely Treasures of wickdness in the house of the wicked Scant Measure wicked Balance and Weights Violence Oppression a lying and deceitful Tongue but mind the punishment (c) v. 13. Therefore will I make thee sick in smiting thee in making thee desolate because of thy sins (d) 14 15 16. And so proceedeth to the several kinds of sensible punishments which shall be inflicted upon them These things were written for our instruction that we might mend and be the better for it Therefore before it be too late let us hear the voice of the Rod which saith that according to God's Truth and Justice (e) Psal 137.17 Fools because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted Which in David's and Solomon's stile is the sinner this ought to stop our mouth and the consideration that we deserve much more at the hand of God removes all ground of complaint (f) Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain for the punishment of his sins Seeing God doth not in the least proportion reward us according to our Sins nor punish us after our Iniquities The voice of God and of the Rod are but one with this only difference that one is of Precept the other of Providence and say the same thing how (a) Eph. 5.6 Because of those things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience That is the things he named before Fornication uncleanness covetousness filthiness foolish talking jesting which with many more are now the Sins of the Nation The same voice saith to Whormongers Thieves Drunkards and every other sinner remember that God sees thee that thou must Die yet knowest not the time when then thou must (b) 2 Cor. 5.10 come to judgment before Christ that every one may receive things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Then will God set all thy Sins (c) Psal 50.21 in order before thine eyes as it were in order of Battel to fight against thee If Men would seriously mind this and with David say in Truth (d) Psal 16.8 I have set the lord always before me and in whatsoever we do to eye him as present I am persuaded it might be a great preservative to keep many from Offending No Servant will willingly do before his Lord and Master that which he knows will displease him but hides from him as much as he can but with God no Man can he is every where sees knows and rewards all things and when he punisheth for Sin with Paul we may say (e) Rom. 2.2 We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things Now when I am upon this punishment for Sin before I proceed to another I must out of Scripture bring such examples of God's Judgments upon it as should make all Kings and People to tremble Joash King of Judah I shall begin with during the Life of Jehojadah he did well but after the Princes made obeysance to courted and flattered the King who hearken'd unto them and fell a sinning against God who to reclaim him and them (f) 2 Chro. 24.17 Sent prophets to bring them again (g) v. 19. unto the lord but they would not give ear and killed one of them which highly aggravated the Sins and hastened the Punishment (a) v. 23. For at the end of that year the Army of the Syrians came against Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the Princes of the People from a mongst the People who had been the evil Counsellors and that which is remarkable God delivered a very great Army into the hands of a handful of Men for the Syrians were but few and the reason is given (b) v. 24. Because they had forsaken the Lord so they executed Judgment against Joash v. 25 But this is not all His own servants conspired against him and killed him on his bed Abijah said of Rehoboam his Father (c) 2 Chro. 13.7 That he was young when he came to the Throne yet 't is recorded that he was Ch. 12.13 One and forty years old when he began to Reign At that Age no Man may be call'd young therefore 't is to be understood in relation to the ill management of his Concerns to the Succession of the Kingdom over all Israel wherein indeed he acted the part of a young Man But I go farther and find that (e) v. 14. he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord so that he was a raw Man no wiser in matters of Religion than in those of State For 't is farther said in the beginning of that Chapter that he forsook the law of the lord v. 1,2 and all Israel with him therefore God punish'd them for Shishak came up against Jerusalem after he had taken the fenced Cities of Judah and took away the Treasure of the Lord's House and of the King's House and the reason was (f) 2 King 15.29 Because they had transgressed against the lord For in God's name a Prophet said to them (g) 2 Chro. 12.6 Ye have forsaken me and therefore also have I left you in the hand of Shishak Here is a punishment for Sin for Solomen's Idolatry and his Son's and People's Apostasie whereby the Glory of the Kingdom already reduced within a narrow compass was Eclypsed and its Riches carried away Which yet was a lighter punishment than that which afterwards was inflicted upon Manasseh whom the Assyrians took and bound him with Fetters and carried him to Babylon So that God spareth neither People nor Princes nor Crown'd Heads when provoked by their Sins This in these times we cannot pretend Ignorance of therefore ought to take warning by In the Kingdom of Israel after the rending of the Ten Tribes by reason of their Sins nothing but destruction and killing one another this among themselves also God brought Foreigners among them for he stirred up Tiglath-Pileser King of Assyria who took several places (a) 2 King 15.29 and all the Land of Naphtali and carried them captives to Assyria (b) Ch. 17.6 And in the next Reign of Hoshea who had killed his Predecessor Pekah came up r Shalmaneser who carried away captive the Ten Tribes and put an end to the kingdom of Israel And the Spirit of God hath left upon Record the cause of it namely their Sins whereof in that Chapter is an enumeration from ver 7. till the 19th So of the Kingdom of Judah when the measure of the Sins of their Kings 2 Chron. 36. and of the People was filled up God sent up Nebuchadnezzar who took Jerusalem ruin'd and destroy'd the Temple bound Zedekiah
Prince to get nis House Establish'd is to take care of God's he is that good Master who provideth for those Servants of his who approve themselves to be Faithful in his Service But when they are more Solicitous for their own Concerns than for his he then leaves them to shift for themselves but former and later Experience shew how ill they speed that do so Now let us see what that King did which was Right in the Eyes of the Lord (a) v. 12. He took away the Sodomites out of the Land that abominable and unnatural Sin which God hath so highly declared against he punished but stopped not there he set himself against Idolatry too for (b) v. 13. He removed all the Idols that his Father had made and went farther for he spared not his Mother and also Maachah his Mother even her he Removed from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove and Asa destroy'd her Idol and burnt it by the Brook Kidron No Relation nor Quality should be regarded when it causes the Dishonour of God through Idolatry Blasphemy or otherwise 'T is a great Brand put upon Rehoboam's Reign and a high aggravation to his other Sins (c) Chap. 14.24 There were also Sodomites in the Land which to his praise Asa his Grandson took away and removed the Monuments of Idolatry for (a) 2 Chro. 14.3 4 5. He took away the Altars of the strange Gods and the high Places and broke down the Images and cut down the Groves Yet he went farther for he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their Fathers and to do the Law and the Commandments Also he took away out of all the Cities of Judah the high Places and the Images All this is by the Spirit of God called (b) v. 2. that which was good and right in the Eyes of the Lord his God Pious Kings not only serve God themselves but also take care to see their Subjects do so And we find that when in Judah there was a good King the People was also good or at least restrain'd from doing evil so much were People influenced by Commands and Examples from the Throne Asa did not serve God in vain but found the fruits and effects of his Zeal for 't is added (c) v. 5. Therefore the Kingdom was quiet before him Whereby 't is declared that the Rest and Quietness of Kingdoms depends upon abolishing Idolatry setting up the true Worship of God and suppressing all that is contrary to Piety 't is further said of him (d) v. 6. He had no Wars in those Years because the Lord had given him hest And by the Prophet Agariah God told him and all fuâ—â—ah the cause of it (e) Chap. 15.2 The Lord is with you wouldst you be with him But if ye forsake him he will forsake you Thus the just and gracious God rewardeth those Princes who make use of the Authority he hath given them to promote his Honour and Glory This King went on further for after a great Victory (f) v. 9.10 c. He gathered all Judah and Benjamin and they entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their Heart and with all their Soul that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether Man or Woman Whereupon they took an Oath for they sware unto the Lord c. and all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had Sworn withall their Hearts and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them Rest round about after great disorders in matters of Religion what a happy Union of King and People towards a blessed Reformation O that we might Here see the like in Parliament where the King meets with his People in their Representatives Here among other great Sinners we have execrable Sodomites and Idolaters not only those who adore Riches Honours and Pleasures and in their hearts and practises make them their Gods but also Idolaters those who adore a piece of Bread as they do God and are not minded thô contrary to Divine Laws and to those of the Land Asa's Son Jehoshaphat continued the Reformation and carried it further on for (a) 1 Kin. 22.46 The Remnant of the Sodomites which remained in the days of his Father Asa he took out of the Land also (b) 2 Chr. 19.3.4 He took away the Groves out of the Land and prepared his Heart to seek God Also He went out again thorough the People from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim and brought them back unto the God of their Fathers He not only would serve God but also took great care that others should do so and 't is written of him (c) Chap. 17.7 8 9. He sent Men to teach in the Cities of Judah For he knew it to be in vain to profess Religion except such were appointed who would instruct the People in the same and had power to remove all that is contrary to Piety that is Men good in them-themselves and able to do others good I wish all Princes would by the Example of Jehoshaphat take notice how plentifully God rewardeth those who serve him in Truth and Sincerity Thus they might see how much it consists even with their worldly Interest to perform their Duty towards God this Character Scripture gives of him that (a) v. 4.5 He sought the Lord God of his Father and walked in his Commandments therefore the Lord Established the Kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat Presents and he had Riches and Honour in abundance Furthermore (b) v. 10. the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms of the Lands that were round about Judah so they made no War against Jehoshaphat The Reason is given and 't is this (c) v. 3. And the Lord was with Jehoshophat and why was God with him 't is in the same Verse because he walked in the First ways of his Father David So is any Prince desirous to be at Peace at home and abroad to have Riches and Honour in abundance Let him like Jehoshaphat walk in God's Commandments promote his Service and enlarge the Kingdom of Christ who is King of kings Lord of lords and by whom Kings Reign But as nothing is perfect in this World so those two Kings wanted not their flaws for not to speak fo their particular ones as that of Asa for relying on the King of Syria for which Hanani reproved and said to him (d) 2. Chr. 16.7 8 9. Herein thou hast done foolishly therefore from henceforth thou shalt have Wars as a Punishment and also because (e) v. 12. In his Disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians That of Jehoshophat was for (f) Chap. 18.1 joyning Affinity with Ahab and for helping him which by a Prophet he was rebuked for who went to meet the King and
THE TRUMPET IN SION SOUNDING A General Alarm IN THE NATION By J. G. G. Blow the Trumpet in Zion and sound an Alarm in my holy Mountain Let all the Inhabitants of the Land tremble for the day of the Lord cometh for it is nigh at hand Joel 2.1 LONDON Printed And are to be sold by Dan. Browne at the Black-Swan and Bible without Temple-Bar 1700. TO THE READER AMongst great many and frequent Dangers 't is a Blessing to have Warning given and to take it for by these means Evil may be prevented This World is like a Wilderness full of fiery Serpents and other hurtful things which on all Sides we are compassed about and can one go upon hot Coals and his Feet not be burnt Which should put us in mind of the Prophet's Question Who can or shall dwell with everlasting burnings Which in Hell shall be a Punishment for Sins committed here if not pardoned in the way to Salvation We have Enemies within and without Our Heart is false Corruptions strong the World wicked Temptations common and powerful the Devil is subtle and Sin deceitful which all to resist we must Repent Believe and Pray for converting confirming and restraining Grace This Reader is my advice and warning to you You shall know more after the perusal of the following Sheets Remember that without Repentance no remission of Sins and as without Faith it is impossible to please God so without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. ERRATA THey are very few whereof the First and Fourth are material which the Reader may be pleased to Correct with a Pen. In Page 5. line 8. instead of care not read take care Page 11. line 21. read plaister for plaistering Page 56. line 2. friendly for friend Page 64. last line assoon for also Page 79. line 17. for War read Warrant Page 104. line 9. for earth read land THE TRUMPET IN SION CRY aloud spare not Isai 58.1 lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their Transgressions and the house of Jacob their Sins These are the Words of Eternal and Almighty God to a great Prophet who was considerable not so much for his extraordinary Parts and Royal Extraction for he was the Son of Amos Brother to Azariah King of Judah as for the Excellency of the signal Visions and Revelations which the Lord was pleased to honour him with and he being dead yet speaketh to us Seeing all God's Actions are so wise and so just we must conceive such an express and positive Order not to be given without a weighty Cause for God never in vain employs his Servants nor indeed none of his Creatures which are all his Servants Ps 119.91 The Occasion of this Commission and Command to the Prophet was at that time a Complication of Sins among the People whereof Hypocrisy and want of Charity were some of the chief but though by their shews of Piety as seeking God daily drawing near unto him Fasting c. they imposed upon Men yet could not do so upon God who will have his Prophet with diligence and severity to reprove Sinners for their Sins though for some more sharply than for others As for me thô I be no Prophet nor Son of a Prophet yet I thank God Prophets are no strangers to me for I daily am conversant with Prophets and with Apostles too out of whose Writings after several worthy Persons whose heart God hath stirred up to appear against the great and many Sins of the Times as 't is every one's Duty in his station to do I hope I may give in my Evidence 'T is a great Work that requires many hands Multorum manibus grande levatur onus Sometimes God makes use of several instruments inconsiderable in themselves in different ways to carry on his works thô all be tending to the same end and although through the perverseness of Mens hearts the Effect doth not always answer the Design Ezek. 2.5 yet they shall know that there hath been if not a Prophet among them yet an Admonisher who hath given warning May the Lord be pleased to bless with success the weak Endeavours of all that are desirous to promote his honour and service with the good of Souls and to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ in a time when we see the Sins of all Ages of all Nations and in all kinds more and more discovered and practised among us Isai 1.6 From the sole of the Foot unto the head as the same Prophet complains of here the Disease is become Epidemical and its Fits very frequent if not continual The house of Israel wanted being told of their Sins so doth England thô told often but who can tell the number diversity and frequency of them However I by the grace of God shall endeavour to run over the most palpable and conspicuous I shall speak first of the Sins after of the Punishments according to God's threatning due and inflicted for them The Sins are of two general Kinds some in Doctrine others in Practice otherwise called Error and Vice Errors in Judgment are usually followed by those in Practise As Sin is extended over every Faculty of the Soul and Member of the Body so there are Sins seated in the Mind as well as there are in the Heart as indeed without a sound Mind the Heart can hardly be Sound When the Soul's Eye is blind how great must her darkness be The mistakes of the Understanding which commonly from the Latin word are named Error are by the Greeks called Heresie relating to Religious Matters which is a division in the Church caused by some erroneous Opinion against the Fundamentals of Religion And thô all such be bad enough yet some there are worse then others according as they more or less strike at the Root of Christian Religion Those Paul calls perverse things and Doctrines of Devils and Peter Damnable Heresies Acts 〈◊〉 30. 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Pet. 2.1 Now there is in England too many of those as strike at the very Foundation of our Holy Religion First Here are Atheists not that properly speaking any can be such for there is no Man in the World but at one time or other hath within himself convictions that there is a God for such a degree of Knowledge is naturally in Men Hence it is that there was never in the World so Barbarian and Ignorant a Nation but owned and worshipped some Divinity or other for 't is only the fool that saith in his heart there is no God Ps 14.1 yet he is not such a Fool as to publish it for he dareth not for shame but saith it in his Heart where against the Light of Nature and Testimony of Conscience he would smother the sense of a Godhead because he wishes it But the Atheists I mean are those who speak and live as if there was no God and these I may well call worse then David's Fool for they blunder out Atheistical words indirectly
promoted by a Sect call'd Antinomians who Believe as if Men might go to Heaven in the way to Hell without Faith Repentance and new Obedience thus no necessity of good Works and all this because we are said to be Saved thorough Grace which is most True and indeed excludes Good Works from being the meritorious Cause of Salvation but not from being means and way to it for he who created us without us will not Save us without us Here is also a kind of Free-willers who directly strike at God's free Grace in Christ and I dare say are as much against it as Socinians are against his Person Sins against God's Justice his Truth and other Attributes are great but I look upon Sin against his Grace as one of the greatest and less pardonable Here we have a Monstrous Sect call'd Quakers Monstrous I call it for its Doctrine is a Rhapsody of Errors in several kinds they have troubled the World with a number of idle Pamphlets containing a confused heap of Spiritual and Natural Ignorance full of Nonsense Presumption wresting and misapplying of Holy Scripture and a meer racking of good Sense and sound Reason which is able to disgust any Rational Man from Reading them as I confess I soon was but some who made it their Business to go throughly with them have therein found several Pernicious Impious and Blasphemous Tenets drawn out of their Writings which they have Published and set their Names to 't This I may say of Quakers that to themselves they assume the Name of Christians but in my Opinion without True grounds For they own no other Christ but him whom they say to be within them whom they make speak any thing they please then they are not Baptized in the Name of Christ whose Ordinances they Reject and Despise for they own no Sacraments deny Ministry by way of Office in the Church which is the House of the God of Order yet all Order therein but what is of their own making they would destroy and condemn All that are not of their own Persuasion usurping only to themselves the name of God's People withal in their Worldly Concerns they are Cunning and Crafty Busie and Active Thriving and Multiplying medling with many Things with a Stock of ready Money to supply their Occasions and carry on their common Interest in the World The Government hath thought fit to give them a Toleration I wish they do not prove a Snake in its Bosom for they are as dangerous to the State as to the Church Certainly 't is a great Sin to suffer them to Dishonour God through their Blasphemies as 't is in them to do 't Several other Heresies and Errors in Doctrine we have here whereof some are more and others less known Who can tell them all But all thô in different Degrees are contrary to Gospel Truths and thô winked at are to be reckoned among the sinful Opinions and Doctrines in the Nation But as the Nation is infected with many Sins in the Mind so 't is full of others seated in the Heart wherein is the Spring of all sinful Practises For Matth. 15.19 saith our Blessed Saviour out of the heart proceed evil thoughts or desires murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies This leads us to the Second Branch of the great and many Sins of the Nation which consist in Practice and upon this Head with David I may say thô very short of what the thing deserves Rivers of water run down mine eyes Ps 119.136 because they keep not thy Law The Sins properly lodged in the Heart are First Hypocrisie a damnable Sin in this World and accordingly to be rewarded in that which is to come Matt. 24.51 for there is a portion for hypocrites who indeed can sometimes dissemble with and impose upon Men but not so with God The Hypocrite is Squint-ey'd and thô he looks one way yet like the Waterman Row's towards a quite contrary It is bad upon all accounts but in Matters of Religion abominable like the Pharisees as our Saviour with many a Woe tells them they are like unto whited Sepulchres Matth. 23.23 24 25. c. which indeed appear beautiful outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleanness an outward shew of Piety and Virtue but in reality are nothing less They strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel and outwardly appear righteous unto Men but within are full of hypocrisie and iniquity The Roman Poet could say of such Qui Curios simulant sed Bacchanalia vivunt In some things of the least moment they would seem to be Pious and Conscientious they pay tithe of Mint of Anise and Cumin but omit the weightier matters of the Law like the Jews who upon the preparation day of the passover John 18.28 would not go into the Judgment-Hall lest they should be defiled but made no Conscience to shed innocent Blood and to cry out Crucifie Crucifie Pride and Vanity is another Sin of the Heart Mark 7.22 or it proceedeth out of it of it I make but one Sin for a Proud Man is a Vain Man Pride is the Sin of the Devil and of our First Parents now too natural with many among us who look very big upon others as if they were not Flesh Blood and Corruption as well as other Men yet they are not made of a Matter of a different nature of what others are they came into the World like other Men shall Die and be a Pasture for Worms as well as others Some are proud of their Riches which as Solomon saith Prov. 23.5 certainly they make themselves wings and fly away as an Eagle others are proud of their Honours which in a short time are laid in the Dust others of their Pleasures for they have all that Heart can wish so had Belshazzar in the great Feast he made to a Thousand of his Lords to his Wives and Concubines Dan. 5.5.6 but in the same Hour came forth fingers of a Man's hand and wrote over against the Candlestick upon the plaistering of the Wall of the King's Palace Then the King's countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another and in that night was the King slain v. 30. 1 Cor. 3.1 Others are proud of their Parts as Wit Learning c. for knowledge puffeth up for want of knowing themselves those parts they prophane and make a wrong use of Others are proud of their Strength Comliness Beauty and such Bodily Endowments but to all such the Apostle saith What hast thou that thou didst not receive Ch. 4.7 now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Be thankful for what thou hast received and Glory not in thy self or in thine own Shame but glory in the Lord. Ch. 1 31. Pride is a Sin odious to God and Man which
and Minister as Overseer of his Flock must be blameless as the Steward of God not self willed not soon Angry not given to wine no striker not given to filthy lucre but a lover of hospitality a lover of good Men Sober just holy temperate The like charge to this is by another Apostle given the Elders which is the same Office (c) 1 Pet. 9.1 2.3 Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the flock examples of Prety 〈…〉 Charity Temperance Sobriety Humility and of every other Christian and Moral Virtues Learning of Christ for (d) Matth. 11.29 he is meek and lowly in heart who (e) John 13.15 hath given an example or Humility After the example of the Sovereign Lord and Master Ministers ought also to follow that of the Apostles as Paul gives himself for one (f) Phil. 3.17 but be together followers of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example For his Design was (g) 2 Thes 3.9 to make himself an example unto others to follow him Another Apostle exhorted those whom he wrote to in some particulars (h) Jam. 5.10 to take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the lord for an example I have a great Respect for the high Character of the Ministers of Christ and of the Stewards of the Mysteries of God and I know we have some who as much as Human frailty can allow perform the Duty of that Holy Office but to others whose number is too great and who do not walk worthy of Christ what Paul upon another account saith upon this I say (i) 1 Cor. 7.28 I spare you for the Offices sake I spare the Persons unworthy of it leaving them to examine themselves by the Rules and Examples I mentioned a little before Whether they have not prevaricated but taken due care of Souls fed them with the sincere Milk of the Word given good Counsel and good Examples or a Scandal that made the weak of the Flock to stumble and the enemies of God to Blaspheme I know no perfection can be attained to in this world nothing without spots and stains (k) Deut 32.5 but I doubt their spot is not the spot of God's children the corruption of the best things is the worst of all and where more of Christ's Image in Holiness Purity and of every Christian Grace is required the more conspicuous and odious are Sins and Things contrary to 't (a) 2 Cor. 12.20 I fear to speak somewhat like in Paul's words Lest there be among them debates envyings wraths strifes backbitings whisperings swellings tumults and that many have not repented of the uncleanness Drunkenness and other sins which they have committed One fault more I shall but name which some of the best are sometimes guilty of and that is In Preaching or Praying to be inconsiderate when in the Pulpit in their Expressions for they should use none but such as become the Majesty of the Great God whose Ambassadors they are and whose Holy Word they Preach which ought to be done with an awful Reverence and in a serious and grave manner Graciously God allows them to be free in Preaching and Prayer but not to be Saucy or Careless with him There is besides a worse and greater Fault and of very ill consequence which out of Covetousness they often commit for to have Money they in Priviledged places as called Favour Clandestine Marriages and without examining about the Qualification of Persons Consent of Parents other Abuses or Inconveniences which to prevent they should be better informed and satisfied about yet they Declare the Parties to be Husband and Wife One of the greatest Causes of Miscarriages of Clergy-men is the Ignorance and Inconsiderateness of Parents who Devote their Sons to the Ministry without inquiring whether they be well Inclined Fit and have the necessary Qualifications and Dispositions for that Holy Office which they look upon as a Trade and to get a livelyhood whereby is caused a great Prophanation of God's Service In consequence of this a young Man doth not examine himself to know whether he hath a Call to and be Gifted for it but when once he is engaged in 't doth indeed make a Trade of is not so much minding the Duty as the Profit of the place and is striving from a Good to get into a Better Benefice not to do good to the Souls of his Flock but to have larger Profits and more Income Hence it is that sometimes I have been ashamed and then moved with some Indignation instead of good Pious and Profitable Discourse when Three or Four Parsons are got together to hear them talk after the rate of Farmers at Market how such a Benefice is worth so much such another more one hath gotten a good one and another hath a prospect of a better For my part I could wish all Merchants and Changers of Money and Benefices were driven out of God's House their Tables overthrown and such unsavoury Discourses laid aside till there be a necessary occasion for they smell too much of Simony Would to God there was no more than the Smell but there 's too much of the Body of it And now I am upon this Point I cannot forbear taking notice of a commendable Care by a neighbour Nation lately taken to revent Simony by (k) By the States of Holland and West Fr. Dated Hague April 18 1698. a Proclamation which thô it doth not concern us yet the thing 't is about doth and 't is no harm nor disparagement to learn good from others Therefore out of it I shall take notice only of this That-all Candidates for the Ministry in the Church after the preparatory Examination is over when they are called to any Benefice to take care of Souls ought upon Oath to Declare that they have neither promised nor given any Gifts nor caused to be given nor directly or indirectly promised to any person for their being call'd and know not that any hath done it in their behalf The Controvenors thereof to lose their places and to pay Forfeiture amounting to four times as much as in Gift Besides the usual Penalty inflicted for Perjury This may work upon any that makes Conscience of an Oath But here the abuse of Patronage is very great the Presentation thô to take away the appearance of Simony some unworthy Tricks and Prerences are made use of is sometimes actually bargained for and bought thus a Minister is intruded upon a Congregation who dislike him which is as bad as to force a Husband upon a Woman whether she will or not One thing more relating to the Clergy I shall observe how to the grief of sound and Orthodox Men a due and necessary Care hath by some not been taken to curb and restrain the damnable
in Chains killed his Children before him put out his Eyes and carry'd him with the People captive into Babylon Wherefore this terrible Judgment for their Sins the King's Perjury named for one (c) v. 13 14 15 16. Moreover all the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much and the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his People But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy In many things this suits with our case our Sins are many and great if God move the Heart of some to speak about it we have too many of those who will despise and ridicule them for it Let us not hold out until God's Anger comes upon us and till there be no remedy O England Rulers and People pray mind this before it be too late I could upon this Head take notice how all signal Judgments in the World have been inflicted for Sin which brought the Flood upon the first World Fire and Brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah utter destruction upon the Seven Nations in the Land of Canaan which God by Moses commanded the children of Israel to do (a) Josh 9.24 The Lord commanded his Servant Moses to give you all the Land and to destroy all the inhahitants of the land from before you But time would fail me if I would insist upon all the Instances of God's Judgments for Sins Recorded in Scripture I pray God we be not made the next Example For out of this we may see how God doth shoot his Warning-pieces before he doth the Murthering ones We have warnings enough both at home and abroad whence it comes nearer and nearer to us but if we kick against the pricks grow stiff-necked and harden our hearts as Pharaoh did his then let us hear what God saith (a) Levit. 20 21 22. c But if ye walk contrary to me and will not hearken unto me I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins Again And if ye will not be Reformed by me by these things that is by the Plagues he threateneth them with then I will yet punish you seven times more for your sins And in that Chapter the Seven times is often multiply'd wherefore to avoid it let us prepare our Heart to seek the Lord or rather pray to God to do 't for us let us Repent Mend our Lives Reform our Manners leave off our Sins cease to do evil and learn to do good (a) Job 15.16 Man which drinketh iniquity like water is abominable and filthy Therefore compared to the Dog that returns to his vomit (b) 2 Pet. 2.22 and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Seeing then punishment is tied to the tail of Sin and that in the Nation we thô in different degrees are all Sinners what else can we look but for punishment According to God's Truth and Justice Sins must either be Pardon'd or Punish'd and is there no remedy for this No other way to Pardon but to Repent and Believe or else nothing (c) Heb. 10 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries of God To make Punishment hold a proportion with Sins against an infinite Majesty There can be no other way but Eternal Torments besides those inflicted in this life What Remedy have we for this As we shewed the Distemper Sin and its due Reward Punishment for the wages of Sin is Death whether natural of Afflictions Spiritual or Eternal we must now speak of the Remedy Be converted from Sin to God and our Sins shall be forgiven God hath appointed Repentance consisting First In a contrition of Heart or sorrow for Sin Secondly In a confession of Mouth or owning our Faults thereby giving God the Glory as upon the like occasion did (d) Dan. 9. from v. 5. to 20. Daniel (e) Ezra 9.5 6 7 c. Ezra (f) Nehem. ◠5 6 7 c. chiefly in Ch. 9. Nehemiah c. Thirdly In a satisfaction given those whom after God we have offended and wronged And Fourthly In taking as far as we are able a full resolution to forsake Sin and follow after Holiness and Righteousness Then when the Cause is removed the Effect will cease and through God's Blessing the Remedy will produce a Cure of the Disease Through a deep and Universal Repentance Nineveh prevented the ruin which within 40 Days she was threatened with Days of Fasting and Humiliation should be kept but not such as God condemneth as (a) Isai 58.5 6 7. a day for a man to afflict his Soul to bow down his head as a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him Such an outward and superficial Fast God hath not chosen but to loose the bonds of wickedness to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free To deal thy bread to the hungry to bring the poor cast out to thy house c Exercise Justice and Charity as well as Piety This another Prophet call's to (b) Joel 2.13 Ezek. 18.30 Rent your hearts and not your garments God saith Repent and turn from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin When once Men are really touched with a sense of their Sins and pricked in their Hearts they with the new Converts will say (c) Acts 2.37 men and brethren what shall we do and with the Jaylor to Paul and Silas (d) Chap. 16 30. Sirs what must I do to be saved Long before a Prophet had answered a Question about a Man's Duty (e) Micah 6.8 He God hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly before thy God To this answereth the Excellent Lesson of the Grace of God (f) Tit. 2.12 by the Apostle mentioned first Negatively Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts Here we must begin then we should live soberly Here is our Duty to our selves Righteously This towards our Neighbour and godly This in relation to God In this present world Which Three words contain the whole Duty of Man So Men may not pretend ignorance of what we must know and do This is every Man's Duty thô of some more than of others according to their station and every one ought to know 't Now (a) Luke 12.47 the servant which knew his lord's Will and did not according to 't shall be beaten with many stripes which to avoid let every one with David say (b) Psal 38.18 I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin Not barely out of the Mouth which sometimes the most wicked can do Pharaoh said (c) Exod. 9.27 I have sinned this time the lord
is righteous and I and my people are wicked So could Balaam to the Angel (d) Numb 22.34 I have sinned So Saul to Samuel (e) 1 Sam. 15.24 I have sinned because I feared the people and obeyed their voice Let all Princes have a care not to fear Men more than God So said Judas (f) Matth. 27.4 I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent Blood This Confession of Sin must not meerly come out of the mouth but from the bottom of the Heart with Grief and Sorrow attended with a real and sincere desire hereafter to do so no more to be able to say with David (g) Psal 18.23 I kept my self from mine iniquity If God was pleased to make us all sensible of our sins and send us to Peter for Counsel the Answer is (h) Acts. 2.38 Repent but that Counsel must be asked to that effect by the Angel's direction Cornelius sent for him And Paul when the voice from Heaven came to him said Lord (i) Ch. 9.6 what wilt thou have me to do No other remedy for Sin but Repentance and to make it acceptable nothing else but the Bloud of Christ But how can those who impiously prophane it as too many among us do hope to have any benefit by it chiefly those who like the Jews one day cry out (k) Marth 21.9 Hosanna and few days after and few days after (a) Luke 23.1 Crucific Crucifie him as the People of Lystra who to Paul and Barnabas (b) Acts. 14.13 19. would have done Sacrifice but soon after stoned him To shew how apt on a sudden some Men are to change for the worse or rather to appear really to be contrary to what they were but seemingly before The Trumpet saith And who knows but that this may be the last Sound (c) Rom. 13.13 12 13. It is high time to awake out of sleep-the night's far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying If not I boldly denounce God's Judgments against impenitent Sinners not as of my self (d) Psal 68.21 but after the Royal Prophet God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Wounds in the Head thô not Mortal are known to be dangerous We have daily examples of some who die suddenly and of an unusual death there being in God's Quiver such a number and variety of deadly Arrows And will Sinners take no warning Then in the name of the just God of Truth I declare that those who die by means of extraordinary Accidents are not always greater Sinners than we who are left behind no more then were the (e) Luke 13.1 Galileans whose Bloud Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices or those upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and slew them above all that dwelt in Jerusalem I tell you nay but except we repent we shall all likewise perish Time to repent allowed us is a mercy if we have the Grace to consider it or else the slower vengeance is a coming on the harder it will strike And because Men must not be afraid or ashamed to speak for God's Cause for such was Elias such John Baptist and 't is said of Apollos that (a) Acts 18.25 he was fervent in the Spirit after such examples without any pretence to immediate Inspirations only according to the rule of the revealed Will of God I think I may be more plain and free in delivering God's Message which tends to a speedy and sincere Reformation in Doctrines and Practices in Head and Members which when compared one with another admit of a difference but in relation to God are all equal being consider'd in themselves Every Man's Breath is in his Nostrils some have Death in the Head others in the Lungs Bloud Stomach Bowels therefore all equally concerned to prepare for it and finish the Task given them to do before they die I think no Man in Authority if asked will deny it to be his Duty to raise and erect Monuments for the Honour and Service of God but he who hath a mind to Build must clear the ground and remove all rubbish out of the way The building of God's House is an Honourable Work committed chiefly to the care of Princes but when they mind their own more then God's they give him just ground of complaint which is follow'd with his Judgment 'T is likely David had not kept that good Resolution of his (b) Psal 101. of the good Orders he said he would keep in his House and Kingdom with punishing correcting and rooting out Wickedness encouraging and favouring Piety Virtue and Godly Persons But he was sensible that he was to begin at home in his own Heart therefore he said as all Princes who as well as ordinary Men meet with Crosses and Troubles ought to do (c) Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me In consequence of this he would not see or suffer wicked Men in his Presence which made him say (d) Psal 6.8 Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity and there he gives this reason for the lord hath heard the voice of my weeping implying that he would not hear him if he continued to keep such This is an example for all Kings to follow who often have wicked Men about their Persons who Humour Flatter and for Self-ends do what they can to please them thus they insinuate themselves into their Hearts and Affections Such consider themselves more than their Master and what they do is to promote their Designs which as they arise out of an evil Principle so they tend to a bad end 'T is the Duty and Interest of every Prince who hath such Men about him to remove them from his Presence If Rulers go about to Reform they ought thoroughly to know the Disease and well apply the Remedy or else like Job's Friends (a) Job 13.4 they shall prove Physicians of no value Then they ought first to begin at home and in their own Houses Hence may flow a National Reformation whereof the necessity hath with the Method well been (b) An Account of the Societies for Reformation demonstrated of late God hath been pleased to stirr up the Hearts of some as much as within their station they are able to encourage Piety and Virtue and get impiety and Vice discouraged and punished And if the Superiour Powers were pleased to lend a helping hand it might through God's Blessing be hoped in some good degree to see it effectually done Indeed 't is very sad and a shame that notwithstanding Presentments of Grand Juries Acts of Parliament and King's Proclamations for want of a due execution Heretical Doctrines and Sinful
exercise loving-kindness judgment and righteousness in the Earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord and not in Sin which I abhor Once there were great outcry 's against the Sins of the late Reigns and there was cause for it as God's Judgments which are always just declared But are we now better in the least On the contrary we can observe those same Sins to increase and daily grow stronger and more frequent upon us Have any of the guilty and offenders against God and the Country been punished for their notorious Offences How can the Effect cease if we remove not the Cause and what signifies to find fault except we mend I look upon 't only as an aggravation We know yet act not according to knowledge neither do we improve the means and opportunities which God had put into our hands to assert his Honour and his Truth to reform Abuses redress Grievances promote the good of the Nation prevent Evil restrain Sin punish Sinners and with greparing our Hearts unto God to fit ourselves for further Mercies Rather with continuing as we do in our Sins and through our unthankfulness we provoke the Lord and are in a way to draw his vengeance upon us The most notorious Sins of the late Reigns were Whoredom and Adultery taking other Mens Wives and without Shame living with them in the sight of the Sun Also downright and open Idolatry yet such were Prayed for as our Religious Kings and Defenders of the Faith when they were about destroying it So was Hypocrisie in pretending to be Protestants tho' actually Papists yet 't was made Treason to say the King was a Papist or Popishly affected which I say to shew how any Society or Assembly of Men chiefly when guided by Interest and Passion is apt to Err and be mistaken and thereby Men were made guilty of Death for telling the Truth Well these Sins and many more in Church and State were under the late Reigns the cause of our Complaints and have been the grounds for our Deliverance But what are we the better for it Tho' God (a) Ezek. 16.50 hath taken away some of the Sinnners as he saw good if the same Sins in the same degree nay in a higher do still continue among us and are become our master Sins is not there Cause to put this Question after God hath so graciously and wonderfully wrought for us are these Distempers remedied and all the great Abuses we complained of Reform'd nay are we so much as in earnest about to do it Tho' we may say some few are in a small degree yet far from it as to others for specially those relating to God ' Honour and Service are increased and without restraint daily multiplied We have bad Examples whence we expected good ones How careful are Men to promote their worldly selfish Interest and how neglectful of God's as if it was not worth minding Hence it is that we see obscene blasphemous and impious Books publickly exposed to Sale in Shops Auctions c. without any Curb and when there hath been other Books in opposition to those how much unfaithfulness tricking and unfair dealings have been used to smother or mangle them about the time of the coming out nay after that for Love nor Money one could not get them put into the Gazzetts among the Advertisements tho' desir'd more than once So that Diana's Interest wants no Demetrius of several kinds among us Some think they may be of no Religion others of any and profess what they please some do vent and publish their Opinions whilst others cheat and revile their Neighbours and wrong them in their good Name Fortune Liberty and sometimes in their Life without little or no Curb at all which is a bringing in a-pace of Confusion and Anarchy and all this some would call the Liberty of the Subject which is with Impunity to abuse one another and to run into all manner of Licentiousness Some think themselves Priviledged to Defraud others of their own nay others go further to Strike those Persons whose Character ought to be Respected and that in such Places as require a special Punishment and upon such occasions as deserve Thanks and not Blows Thus in one kind or other (a) Judg. 17.6 Every one doth that which is Right in his own Eyes as we read it was when there was no King in Israel Thus God in his wise Providence suffereth Abuses to Creep in and sometimes to Prevail of which we may say what our Blessed Saviour speaks of Offences (a) Luke 17.4 It is impossible but that Offences will come but Wo unto him through whom they come by Right it should be so with those who commit Abuses but also he from time to time raiseth Instruments in his hand for his People's good and makes them as Paul would have us to be (b) Rom. 12.11 Acts 17.16 Fervent in Spirit Serving the Lord. As we read how his Spirit was stirred in him in Athens when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry Not Lukewarm in his Service for such (c) Rev. 3.16 He speweth out of his Mouth Nor such as (d) Jer. 48.10 Do his Work deceitfully For such are Cursed But for his Honour and the benefit of his People he makes use of such as Love Fear and Serve him with their Heart such a one was Moses to deliver Israel out of Aegypt and Joshua to bring them into the promised Land After the Babylonian Captivity God chose Zerubbabel to carry them home Ezra to reform their Manners settle Religion and build the Temple then Nehemiah to build up the Walls of Jerusalem So he never wants Instruments to do his Work and if some Men ly as Blocks in his way he knows well how to Remove them Happy those whom he is pleased to make use of for so good a Work But as Rules back'd with Examples make a greater impression so I shall mention some whom Scripture hath proposed as Patterns in matters of Religion for after Ages to follow Asa I begin with for after the falling off of the Ten Tribes he was the first Reformer of the Kings of Judah To his commendation 't is Recorded of him that (e) 1 King 15.11.14 He did that which was Right in the Eyes of the Lord as did David his Father and that his Heart was perfect with the Lord all his days Whereof Instances are given to shew how he minded the true Worship of God and removed Abuses therein Committed 'T is with every collective Body whether Ecclesiastical Civil or Politick as with the Natural in this ill humours and destructive are sometimes Bred and Formed which 't is necessary to Purge away Thus often Corruptions which cause Distempers do creep into the sore-named Bodies which to preserve the whole ought to be taken away and Remedied This good King began his Reign with minding things of Religion 't is just that God should be served first The Right way for a
said to him (a) Chap. 19.2 shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord There was besides a common fault in both worse than the others which were personal and hindred not God's Work from going on for thô they had done much for God's Service in the way of Reformation yet they did not enough not so much as they ought and might have done for both their Reigns are branded with this (b) Chap. 15.17 But the high Places were not taken away out of Israel This as to Asa as to his Son (c) Chap. 20.33 howbeit the high Places were not taken away which might partly be through want of a full Zeal in them partly through the neglect of their Officers and partly through the Superstition of the People because it is said for as yet the People had not prepared their hearts unto the. God of their Fathers However those good Kings may not be deprived of a due commendation for that only thing excepted they went through the work of Reformation O that we might but see here actually some Attempts and Steps towards it Hezekiah hath in Scripture the Character of a (d) Chap. 32.32 good King He began his Reign with taking care of Religion for he reformed the great and many abuses crept into 't during the several bad Reigns between Jehoshophat's and his 'T is said (e) Chap. 29.2 3. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his Father had done 'T is observed that he in the First year of his Reign in the First Month without delay the First thing he did opened the Doors of the House of the Lord and repaired them which is a remarkable Example for all Princes first of all to settle the true Religion and to procure that God may be well served But this good King stopt not there he restored the true Worship according to God's Institution Advised Exhorted and Commanded the Levites and Priests to do their Duty about it his own Diligence and giving good Example is mentioned for 't is said (a) v. 20. He rose early and gathered the Rulers of the City and went up to the House of the Lord and what they went upon was heartily cheerfully and speedily performed for 't is observed that (b) v. 36. the thing was done suddenly the Reason is given For God had prepared the People Whereat both King and People rejoiced O that now Here God were pleased to prepare King's and People's hearts to seek unto and serve him But I fear all our Minds and Hearts are so crouded and affected with worldly thoughts and affections that there is hardly room left for heavenly concerns except out of his infinite goodness God be graciously pleased to make it But let us hear what that pious and zealous King did and I wish all Kings of the Earth were like him He went on further in the work of Reformation than his good Predecessors had done for he removed all Monuments of Idolatry and every Idol of Jealousie even the high Places which others before him had not meddled with for of him 't is Recorded how (d) 2 Kings 18.4 he removed the high Places and the Images and cut down the Groves and brake in pieces the brazen Serpent that Moses had made for unto those days the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it and he called it Nehushtan that is a piece of Brass in contempt because it had been made a Tool of Idolatry thô at first it had by God's immediate and special Command been erected in the Wilderness and Miracles had been wrought by it This he did and for this special Zeal of his in every thing obtained this Character that (a) v. 5.6 after him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him And to shew that all this was acted in Sincerity and from his Heart 't is said he trusted in the Lord God of Israel and he clave unto the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his Commandments He was not content to shew his zeal in Judah within his Kingdom but also invited others to do the like To that purpose (b) 2 Chr. 30.1 He sent Letters to all Israel and Judah and wrote Letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh that they should come up to Jerusalem to keep the Passover which (c) v. 18.24 many out of the other Tribes did And the King as also his Princes gave the Congregation thousands of Bullocks and Sheep which liberality shews how Kings Princes and others whom God hath given means to ought readily to bestow it upon his Service and to enable others to do the like But to perfect what had been so well begun for in Religion there must be no trimming nor doing things only by halves 't is Recorded (d) Chap. 31.1 Now when all this was finished all Israel that were present went out to the Cities of Judah and brake the Images in pieces and cut down the Groves and threw down the high Places out of all Judah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manasseh untill they had utterly destroyed them all They began in Jerusaiem and followed all the Country over This Head I shall conclude with this remark how God is graciously pleased plentifully to reward not only in the World to come but also in this a sincere zeal for his Honour and Service as he did to Hezekiah for 't is said (e) 2 Kings 18.7 8. and the Lord was with him and he prospered whithersoever he went forth Furthermore (a) 2 Chr. 32.27 28 29. Hezekiah had exceeding much Riches and Honour and he made himself Treasuries for Silver and for Gold and for precious Stones and for Spices and for shields and for all manner of pleasant Jewels c. Let all Men take notice how there are Rewards for those who promote God's Interest and within their Station procure others to do so also Punishments for those who do not In the Person of Josiah we have a pattern of a compleat Reformer There are such extraordinary circumstances relating to him as make us look on him with admiration for by (b) 1 King 13.1.2 a Prophet his Birth was foretold his Name mentioned and his zeal prophesied of about 300 years before he was Born Then he was but Eight years old when he began to Reign and those tender years of his were in a high degree seasoned with Grace for then (c) 2 Chr. 34.1 c. He began to seek the God of his Father David and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left Happy is the Country where such Kings are Born and Reign who assoon as they Sit upon the Throne take care of Religion and to suppress Sin The zeal of this good King Scripture sets forth as an example to others to teach what God requireth of them When he was but Sixteen years old he shewed himself
very zealous for the Glory of God and when he was Twenty he abolished Idolatry and restored true Religion in Jerusalem and in Judah and so continued to do in the (d) v. 6. Cities of Manasseh Ephraim Simeon and Naphtali which belonged not to his Kingdom and because he would not trust others to do 't without him this great Work he would see it done with his own Eyes For 't is said (e) v. 4. They brake down the Altars of Baalim in his presence and the Images that were on high above them he cut down and the Groves and the carved Images and molten Images he broke in pieces and made dust of of them and strowed it upon the Graves of those that had sacrificed unto them The Altar in Bethel which Jeroboam had built and the high places he brake down he defiled Tophet put down the Chemarims or Idolatrous Priests whom the Kings of Judah had ordained to burn Incense in the high Places He brake down the Houses of the Sodomites and so we may think he did of Baudy Houses if there were any for he aimed at a general Reformation whereof we (a) 2 King Chap. 22. and 23. read the particulars How much grieved was he when he heard the Words of the Law seeing he thereupon rent his Clothes This his tenderness of heart as of having humbled himself the Lord took notice off by the mouth of (b) 2 Chr. 34.27 Huldah the Prophetess Now judge of the happiness of having pious Kings by the good effects and consequences thereof for not only they do good but by their example influence others to do so Often the good King makes his Subjects good Regis ad exemplum many times the People follows the King's Example hence it is that in Scripture we read that when the Kings were good or bad the Subjects were commonly such as they so like Prince like People Because (c) Chap. 35.7 8 9. Josiah gave to the People of the Flock Lambs and Kids all for the Passover-offerings to the number of Thirty thousand and Three thousand Bullocks and 't is expressed these were out of the King's Substance So in the next verse we read how that good example was followed and his Princes gave willingly unto the People to the Priests and to the Levites And to their immortal Praise not only their gifts are specified but also the givers Names are upon Record Josiah's Princes were acted by the same Zeal and they not only worshipped God but helped others to do so These examples are insisted upon in hopes that at this present Time and in this Conjuncture when Sins overflow and there is a necessity of a speedy Remedy it will not be in vain Neither can any just exceptions be taken against what I say for 't is not I that speak but God all is out of his holy Word The Trumpet of Sion must Speak or Sound in the Language of Sion Happy those who can understand the Language of Canaan 't is a gracious promise as a Blessing to the Gentiles (a) Isai 19.18 In that day shall Five Cities in the Land of Egypt speak the Language of Canaan and Swear to the Lord of Hosts I write as a Christian for Christians about the things of Christ therefore I lay aside human Reason Wisdom Considerations and Stile to express my self in Christs that is Scriptural Phrase to please God and not Men (b) Gal. 1.10 for if I yet pleased Men I should not be the Servant of Christ But my design is if possible after (c) Rom. 10.19 God's Example without distinction of Persons to move Men to Emulation and Godly jealousie to out-do one another and upon this as upon every other occasion to practise the Apostles exhortation (d) 2 Cor. 14.31 Whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Chiefly Rulers who are publick Springs whence the People draw whose carriage the Subjects Eyes are fixed upon and when the Princes heart is affected with zeal for God's Honour and Service it commonly passeth upon and influenceth the People whose Head he is Therefore he should be careful of the way he leads them by either into Salvation or Destruction In the Christian Church also after many Persecutions Heresies and wicked practises God raised Instruments to do his Work suppress Errors defend his People and purge his Church of notorious Vices Such were the Constantines the Theodosius's and other Christian Emperors whom God made Nursing Fathers to the Church So in the last Age at the beginning of and since the Reformation from the abominations of the Romish Church some pious Princes in Germany and other Northern Countreys and in some Southerly parts of Europe whose Names are to their high Commendation Recorded in History And here Pious young King Edward VI. never to be mention'd without Elogy who for Zeal in his tender years might have been compared to Josiah if God had been pleased to have allowed him a longer Life he upon all occasions expressed his Piety and Abhorrency of Popish Idolatry besides that Providence made this Conformity between those Two good Kings both died young One by the Sword the other as strongly suspected by Poison Josiah not long before the Destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Captivity And Edward just before the Judgment and violent Persecution under Bloody Queen Mary Commonly such matters as these admit of necessary Cautions thus when I was upon the point of Slander to which what I intend now to say hath some affinity I spake of some who under specious pretences as that they hate not the Person but the Hypocrisie or such other thing which they invent do put abuses upon others and thus to satisfie their Hatred Malice Revengefulness or some other disordinate Passion would bring in their false accusations under the Name of the cause of God and by these means impose upon imprudent and credulous Men or easily perswaded those that are as ill disposed as themselves whom Solomon sets this brand upon A wicked doer gives heed to false lips (a) Prov. 17.4 and a lyar gives ear to a naughty tongue for similis simili gaudet Now in this place I must enter a Caveat which is this That about the great Work of Reformation of Life Manners and other Abuses the Magistrates in the Execution of the Laws must be very Cautious how they receive Accusations and Informations from private Men against their Neighbour specially when the accused are for one quality or other Eminent above the Vulgar sort thus the Apostle charges his disciple against an Elder receive not an Accusation (b) 1 Tim. 5.19 but before two or three Witnesses They ought not to believe every thing they hear but must first endeavour to know who the accuser is and whether he is biassed for in such Cases sometimes (c) Gal. 2.4 to speak in the Apostles Words false Brethren creep in privily to spie out occasions of doing mischief and avenging their grudges