on to perfect what he hath begun but if Thou and thy People and in especial this proud Prodigal vain-glorious and most voluptuous City that hath all this while sate as a Queen and known no sorrow shall not answer God in his Expectations then be it known to thee and them that God will repent him of the good he intended both to thée and them and as he overturned thy Father and those that overturned him and hath been for some considerable time overturning overturning overturning in this Land of thy Nativity so know O King that he is as able to overturn thée as them without thou and they make to him suitable Returns for of a truth God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Acts 10. 34 35. Therefore in Gods fear consider thy Actings But to proceed King Hezekiah prayes and God heals And thus whilst the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord the Prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. And Hezekiah turned his face to the Wall and said Remember I beseech thee O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart c. He onely is likely to thrive at the Throne of Grace who in his appeals to God can plead the uprightness of his heart and the sincerity of his Soul and whilst some are questioning how God doth know and whether there be Knowledge in the Most High Psal. 73. 11. Hezekiah is earnestly begging the Searcher of all hearts before whose eyes all things are naked and open to remember the Actings of his former dayes Happy it is with thy Soul that in his sickness can plead with God the good Actions of his health Thus whilst Hezekiah is praying to the Lord the Lord shews himself to be what in the Scriptures of Truth he is Recorded to be even a God hearing Prayers Psal. 65. 2. And Hezekiah must experience him to be such a one For saith the Lord Go tell Hezekiah the Captain of my People I have heard his Prayers I have seen his Tears God is a tender-hearted God and when his People are moved to passion upon a right account he then shews himself a compassionate God to them and this he did to Israel of old when they were in Egypt under their hard Task-masters for the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my People which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Task-masters for I know their sorrows and I am come down to deliver them Exod. 3. 7 8. God is not onely said to hear the Prayers and see the Tears of Hezekiah but he is as ready to help for so is his Promise Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me A good refuge for all Gods People to flie to in time of distress And here note God doth not onely raise Hezekiah from his Bed of sickness but he also promiseth to adde fifteen years to his dayes Thus he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength even the youth shall faint and be weary and young men shall utterly fail but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings of an Eagle they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not be faint Isai. 40. 31. And seeing it is so then O King be perswaded to wait upon God that so it may be a lengthening out of thy Tranquility question with thine own Soul whether God hath not added to thy dayes remember with thankfulness the Hollow Oak with all Gods Transactions towards thee in that juncture of time when an Arm of flesh failed thee at Worcester not forgetting thy safe Passage in that little Vessel that Rides in thy constant view and when thou lookest on that suffer me to be thy Remembrancer to perswade thee that with thankfulness of heart thou remember whence thy Deliverance came and that thou give to God a suitable return for that I am confident God expects from thee and withall seriously to consider the sad Consequences of Ingratitude For Hezekiah rendred not again according to the Benefits bestowed upon him but his heart was lifted up therefore wrath was upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem God doth not onely promise to heal Hezekiah and to add fifteen years to his dayes but further he giveth him according to his own request a Sign and such an one the like of which neither before nor since was known for most miraculously he alters the course of the Heavens for the Sun who like a Bridegroom coming out of the Chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a Race Psal. 19. 5. is by the great Power of God called back again fifteen Degrees Whence we may take notice of the great Condescention of the great God for the satisfying his faithful ones And this was his dealing with Gideon Judges 6. who requires a Sign that the Angel talked with him v. 20. And the Angel put forth the end of his Staff that was in his hand and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes that Gideon had provided and there arose fire out of the Rock and consumed them And again when Gideon by Gods Appointment was to relieve Israel from the hands of the Midianites Amalekites and the Children of the East that were gathered together in the Valley of Jezrecl Judges 6. 33. Gideon requires a Sign if God would deliver Israel by his hands ver. 36. And Gideon also propounds his own satisfaction Behold saith he v. 37. I will put a Fleece of Wool in the Floor and if the Dew be on the Fleece onely and it be dry upon all the Earth besides then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand as thou hast said and saith the Text It was so v. 38. For he rose up early in the morning and thrust the Fleece together and wringed out of the Fleece a Bowl full of water Yet this will not fully satisfie Gideon but he must come to the Lord as once Abraham did when he petitioned for Sodom Gen. 18. with an once more for Gideon said unto God Let not thine anger be hot against me I will speak but this once let me prove I pray thee but this once with the Fleece let it now be dry onely upon the Fléece and upon all the ground let there be Dew And God did so that night for it was wet upon all the ground It is good then for Sâ—…ls to be single-hearted to God that God may be satisfactory to them Thus having particularly discovered the manner of Gods merciful dealings towards Hezekiah I shall now come to the words of my Text wherein is briefly discovered Hezekiah's unthankful behaviour to God But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the Benefits bestowed upon him but his heart was lifted up therefore
one as my self that so thou mightest give to Caesar onely the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods And Reader consider with thy self that if the Lord Christ reproved him that said to him good Master saying Why callest thou me good There is none good but One even God Luke 18. 19. Even so do I say to my self Why should I dare to call the greatest of Men most Sacred When it is an Attribâ—…te that properly and peculiarly belongs to God himself and was never given to Man by God and to me it seems to be one of those names of Blasphemy upon the seven Heads of the Beast Rev. 13. 2. and no better than a flattering Title The which with another of the Kings Titles had I but the priviledge of his Ear but one little pittance of time I question not but by Divine assistance I should so discover the unlawfulness thereof as that he would himself refuse to own them And for me to flatter him or any man else I dare not for these Reasons First Lest thereby I bring my self and mine under the Sin-revenging-hand of God And Secondly Lest I thereby ensnare others First Least I endanger my self and mine Because if Jobs words be true who saith That he knoweth not to give flattering Titles if I so do my Maker saith he would soon take me away Job 32. 21 22. And should I be found so doing God would no more excuse me thaâ—… him for saith the Prophet David Psa. 12. 3. The Lord will cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things and also saith that upright man Job He that speaketh flattery to his Friend even the eyes of his Children shall fail Job 19. 5. So that as I tender the good of my self and mine I dare not do it And secondly I dare not do it lest I endanger others for a man that flattereth his Neighbour spreadeth a Net for his feet saith the wisest of men Prov 29. 5. for saith he A flattering mouth worketh ruine Prov. 26. 28. And this is that which was the destruction of King Herod Act. 12. 21. for saith the Text On a set day Herod arrayed in Royal apparel sate upon his Throne and made an Oration unto his Subjects who upon the hearing thereof began to flatter him for saith the Text The People gave a shout saying It is the voyce of a God and not of a Man and immediatly the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the Glory and he was eaten of Worms and gave up the Ghost had not his subjects given him that flattering Applause he had not robbed God of his Glory and so the Angel had not smitten him So that in this I question not but I shall evidence my love to the King more than they that so flatter him Therefore this shall be my Resolution the Lord assisting me to continue treading in the footsteps of the Flock of God gone before and shall conclude with my self and say with that Queen Hester 4. 16. And if therein I perish I perish for I had rather suffer by man in obedience to my God than by the Sin-revenging hand of God to be cut off in his displeasure And thus Reader having given thee an account of my manner of Speech to the King which is none other than what he Popple of God in former Ages used both under the Law and under this Gospel Dispensation I shall take my leave and desiring the Lord to set it home upon thy heart and that it may be satisfactory to thee that so thou mayest not have a prejudice in thy spirit against him who desireth to do nothing either in word or Action but what may tend to the Glory of God the good of his own Soul and the enlightning of those with whom he doth Converse who shall be ready in Christian love to give thee a Verbal satisfaction to any thing that in this Discourse may be thy dissatisfaction And to remain thy Friend therein to serve thee HENRY ADIS. A Fannaticks Mite Cast into the KINGS TREASURY 2 Chron. 32. 25. But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefits bestowed upon him but his heart was lifted up Therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem THESE Words themselves have a Dependancy upon the Story going before and are no other but a Declaration or Manifestation of the Kings unthankfuluess to God for his Mercies bestowed and of the sad Consequences thereof But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the Benefits bestowed upon him but his heart was lifted up Therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem Had this Discourse been spoken as it is now written to thee O King many distinctions might have been made and several and remarkable Observations hinted at which might have been very useful if diligently minded and as effectually put into practise some of which for brevity sake I shall here omit and shall first run over the Story that occasioned the Spirit of God to lay down these words and therein briefly hint at some things I shall judge useful and then in the strength of the same Spirit come to the handling of the woâ—…ds themselves Good Hezekiah after the death of his Father King Ahaz began his Reign as we may read 2 Chron. 28. 27. who had set his Son so 〈◊〉 a Copy that in truth he could not write after it without blotting And therefore he leaves the steps of his Father and walks in the pathes of David and some others of his Fore-fathers For Ahaz his Father Reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord like David his Father Chap. 28. 1. for he walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel which were the wayes of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin And also or over and above their abominations he made molten Images to Balaam v. 2. And burned Incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom and burned his Children in the fire after the manner of the Heathen v. 3. He Sacrificed also â—… and burned Incense in the high Places and under every green Tree v. 4. For which mis-actings 〈◊〉 God delivered him into the hands of the Kings of Syriahâ—…and into the hands of the Kings of Israel who smote him with great slaughter v. 5. Whence we may note That when Kings Rulers or Governours Act contrary to the mind of God God raiseth up Adversaries against them as once he did against Solomon 1 Kings 11. 14. And as Ahaz continues his mis-actings so God encreaseth his Adversaries for the Edomites also came and smote Judah and carried away Captives v. 17. Yet for all this Ahaz returned not to bim that smote him Therefore the Philistines also had invaded the Cities of the Low-Countreyes and had taken several Towns and Villages and came and dwelt in his Land vers. 18. Whereupon Ahaz sends out for help to suppress
shall gain the whole world and loose his own Soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul In this Reformation Hezekiah's speed equals his willingness and like a pair of Heisers accustomed to the yoak they draw both together for as it was his first work to have respect to the cleansing of his holy things so it was his care to do it in the first year of his Reign and not late in the year but in the first month of that first year for so saith the Text 2 Chron. 29. 3. He in the first year of his Reign in the first month opened the Doors c. And this is that which I am perswaded is well pleasing to God when men sleep not upon good Resolutions but puts them into present and effectuall practise for no man can call to morrow his Therefore the Counsel of the Spirit of God is good which he hath given by the Wise Man Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it wich thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Hezekiah began to Reign when he was five and twenty years old Cha. 29. 1. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his Father had doue v. 2. And as by Faith Moses when he came to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer Afflictions with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt because he had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 24. So Hezekiah being five and twenty years old when he began to Reign refused to walk in the wayes of sin as Ahaz his Father had done but begins with discretion to consider what was well-pleasing to God and therefore he learns to write by a perfect Copy he takes a Man after Gods own heart to be his Pattern though they that hated him without a cause were more than the hairs of his head though his enemies were mighty Psal. 69. 4. though he became a Proverb to many verse 11. and though they that sate in the gates spake against him and though he became a Song to the Drunkards ver. 12. yet these and such reproaches as these shall not frighten him but Hezekiah will do according to all that David his Father had done David we see was no Allower of Drunkenness for the Drnnkards made Songs of him as they do now in this our dayes upon those that desire to walk in the integrity of their hearts before the Lord as David did David opened not a Door to any manner of licenciousness neither doth Hezekiah when he comes to Reign go to the house of laughter but to the house of God he runs not to Hawkings nor Huntings Revellings nor Dancings Riotings nor Banquetings he sets not up nor tollerates Stage-Playes May-games nor Pastimes but comes to a serious consideration what the mind of God was that so he might pleasâ—… him to the Eternal well-being both of himself and those that were under his charge therefere with spéed he opens the Doors of the Lords House and begins to put away the iniquity of his holy things Now know O King that Hezekiah was a good man and went on in his Reformation in Gods way let me therefore beg of thee as thou tenderest thy Souls good to Eternity take him for thy Pattern begin thy Reign as he did his look into thy holy things see what there is amiss there consider the Common-prayer whence it came and whither it tendeth weigh it with its appurtenances in the Ballance of the Sanctuary try it by the Touch-stone of Gods Word see whether it bâ—… not too light of what God would have it to be see also whether the Inventions of Men have not made it too heavy thou canst not be too exact therein for he that doth in his service to God more than what God Commands doth too much and is no better than a Will-worshipper he that doth less than God Commandeth him doth too little Consider also which is the Door of Gods House and open that for Christ himself saith That many false Prophets will arise and shall deceive many and therefore he requireth his Disciples not to go out to them Mat. 24. 24 26. Therefore the opening of any Door will not serve the turn Hezekiah opened the Door of the Lords House Therefore for the Lords sake Consider what thou doest take that Counsel from the Spirit of the Lord which is Recorded in 1 Thes. 5. 21 22. Prove all things and hold fast that which is good and abstain from all appearance of evil Take notice of the Dispensation thou art under and do thy Generation work in Gods way the Church of Christ under the Gospel is not National but Congregational Hezekiah was of the Race of the Jews and a King of Judah it was Hezekiahs work to open the Doors of the Material Temple scituate in Jerusalem where God had under that dispensation promised his presence 1 Kings 9. 3. So that if Hezekiah had opened any other Door he had been a sinner as well as his Father Ahaz who opened another when he shut those Material Doors where the Jews had a Right to Worship as they were in a National Church-Communion upon the due administration of that fleshly Ordinance of Circumcision peremtorily upon the eight day Gen. 17. 12. Under which he that neglected to Circumcise his Male Infant upon the eighth day did it too late and after Gods time and that Infant was to be cut off from the People V. 14. and he that did it before the eighth day did it too soon and before Gods time and so became a transgressor We usually say in our common Proverb that it is dangerous jesting with â—…ged tools so may I safely say it is a dangerous thing to cross the design of God it is a desperate design to undertake to open that which God hath shut or to shut that which God hath opened God hath shut the Doors of a National Church then let men fear to open it and God hath opened the Door of a Congregational Church let Souls tremble at the thought of shutting it for so saith the Lord Christ John 4. 21 22 23. Believe me saith he the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet in Jerusalem Worship the Father ye Worship ye know not what We know what we Worship for Salvation is of the Jewes but the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And saith Peter Now I perceive of a truth that God is no Respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Acts 10. 34 35. So that Church-fellowship and Son-ship with God is entailed upon persons under the Gospel not upon the account
wrath was upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem And because the main drift of the Spirit in the Text is to discover Hezekiah's neglect in not rendring to God and the sad Consequences thereof I shall therefore first consider what Rendring is before I come to draw any teachable Conclusions from the Text Rendring then simply so considered is none other but a giving to God or Man that which is their due for so saith the Spirit 1 Chron. 16. 29. Give unto the Lord the Glory due unto his Name and Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all men their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour as if he should say Give freely to God and Man that which belongeth to them according to the saying of the Lord Christ himself Mat. 22. 21. Give to Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods There is also a Rendring spoken of in Scripture by way of Requital for some Benefit bestowed or Injury done and this is sometimes called Rendring and sometimes Recompencing and Requiting as in that of Luke 14. 12 14. When thou makest a Dinner or a Supper call not thy Friends nor thy Brethren nor thy Kinsmen nor thy rich Neighbours lest they also bid thee again and a Recompence be made thee But call the Poor the Maimed the Blind and the Halt and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot Recompence or Requite thée and in 1 Tim. 5. 4. where Children and Nephews are required to requite their Parents and 1 Thes. 5. 15. where it is the Advice of the Spirit that no man should render evil for evil to any man So that there is a Rendring belongs to man from man simply so considered as they stand in such or such Relations as Children to Parents Servants to Masters Wives to Husbands or Subjects to Princes And there is also a more Respective Rendring due to men as they are Benefactors or better than ordinary in those Relations as from a Child to an indulgent Father from a Servant to a very bountiful Master from a Subject to his Priuce as he is Wise and Prudentially careful laying about him every way for the better well-being of his Subjects one that refuseth the way of Rehoboam the Son of Solomon who threatned to make the burthens of his Subjects heavier and heavier and to be worse to them than was his Father 1 Kings 12. 11. But to such an one that will undo the heavy burthens and let the oppressed go free according to that of Isa. 51. 6â—… I say to such a Father Master and Prince there is a more Tender Respective Affectionate Rendring due and that by way of Requital to answer the Love Bounty and Care of such a Father Macter or Prince And this is that Rendring in my Text that God expecteth from Hezekiah that as he had been a bountiful and a full-handed God to him so he expected that Hezekiah though a King should have had his mouth filled with his Praises For when the King of Babylon sent Ambassadors to him to enquire of the Wonder that was done in his Land 2 Chron. 32. 31. God expected that then he should have shewed the Ambassadours how miraculous God had been in delivering him from his Enemies and recovering him and in satisfying his Request in causing the Sun to run retrograde in token of the certainty of his recovery and of the fifteen years addition to his dayes by which means God would have been glorified in the eyes of the Heathen which is that that God requireth That his People should sing forth the Honour of his Name and make his Praise glorious Psal. 66. 2. And also saith the Lord by the Prophet Isai. 42. 12. Let them give glory unto the Lord and declare his Praise in the Islands A good Lesson for thee to learn O King that when Ambassadours are sent from forreign Princes to Congratulate thy condition that then thou remember before them to glorifie that God and set forth his Praise who hath been so miraculously bountiful unto thee But Hezekiah rendred not again according to his Benefits bestowed upon him but his heart was lifted up therefore wrath fell upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem Quest But here it may be demanded when a person may be said to render duely to God Answ. To this I Answer A person may then be said to make suitable Returns or duely to render to God when in the Relation he standeth in he shall as much as in him lieth Act faithfully both to God and man according to the mind of God whether they be Men or Women as they stand in the Relations of Servants or Masters Children or Parents Wives or Husbands Subjects or Princes And because the subject matter of my Text is concerning Prince and People I shall not stand to particularize the duty of the other Relations but shall as briefly as I may come to a discovery of what I know from the Scriptures to be the Mind of God in those Relations that concern my Text And first of the duty of a Subject to his Prince a Subject may properly be said duely to render unto God when according to the saying of the Lord Christ Mat. 22. 20. He doth give to Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods when he doth that in the Worship of God that is agreeable to the Mind of God revealed in that plain Directory the Holy Scriptures of Truth And when according to that Rule also he doth render to his Prince Tribute Custom Fear and Honour according to the direction of the Spirit Rom. 13. 7. A more full discovery hereof is laid down in my Declaration And secondly A Prince may properly be said to render duely to God when he doth also follow the direction of the same Spirit in the Directory who saith 2 Sam. 23. 3. He that Ruleth over men must be just Ruling in the fear of God This fear of God is that which made good Nehemiah when he was appointed Governour over the Land of Judah neither he nor his Brethren not to eat the Bread of the Governour Nehamiah 5. 14. For saith he v. 15. The former Governours that were before me were chargeable to the People and had taken of them Bread and Wine besides forty shekels of Silver yea even their Servants bare rule over the People But saith he So did not I And he addeth this as a Reason Because of the fear of God And this is that which the Wise man telleth us is the sum or substance of all that is required from Man in the twelfth Chapter of his Ecclesiastes and the thirteenth verse Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his commandments for this saith he is the whole duty of Man and so saith the Prophet Micah 6. 8. He that shewed thee O man what is good And what doth the Lord require of thee but
of Iron and part of Clay and brake them to pieces Then was the Iron the Clay the Brass the Silver and the Gold broken to pieces together and became then as the Chaff of the Summer Threshing-floors and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them and the Stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth This is the Dream said Daniel and I will tell the Interpretation thereof before the King THOU O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom Power and Strength and Glory and wheresoever the Children of men dwell the Beasts of the Field and the Fowls of the Heaven hath he given into thine hand and hath made thee Ruler over them all Thou art this Head of Gold By all which we see that God had done very much for Nebuchadâ—… and made him King of Kings and higher than all the Kings of the Earth Yet when Nebuchadnezzar rendreth not to God according to the Benefits bestowed God takes him down from all his Pomp when Nebuchadnezzar forgat God that made him so great and begins to Sacrifice to his own Net as he did Dan. 4. 30. For said the King Is not this Great Babylon that I have builded for the House of my Kingdom by the Might of my Power and for the Honour of my Majesty Thus whilst he was glorying himself instead of glorifying God God takes him down for so saith the Text V. 31. Whilst the word was in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from Heaven saying O King Nebuchadnezzar to thée it is spoken the Kingdom is departed from thée and they shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the Beasts of the Field they shall make thee to eat grass as Oxen and seven times shall pass over thee until thou know that the Most High Ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whom he will and saith the Text V. 33. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar So that in him we see the Assertion made good That God requires suitable returns for mercies bestowed though from the greatest of Men or Nations This man was so great as that there was none greater for he was over All not a King over some few Countries or an Emperour over seven Nations but a Monarch one that had an unlimited and an universal Power V. 36. Yet when he comes to walk contrary to God God walks contrary to him when he refuseth to glorifie God God will be glorified upon him The like we may see in King Saul 1 Sam. 15. The Prophet Samuel came to him and appointed him his work from God and in his so doing he first layes before him what God had done for him and giveth it in as a Reason why Saul should perform the Will of God for saith he V. 1. The Lord sent me to Anoint thee to be King over his People over Israel Therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the Word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord I remember what Amalek did to Israel how he laid wait for him in the way as he came up out of the Land of Egypt now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy All that they have and spare them not but utterly destroy both Man and Woman Infant and Suckling Ox and Shéep Camel and Asse Amalek lay in wait to have destroyed Israel now God takes Israels Cause in hand and Amalek must be utterly cut off It is good for the People of God to let God alone with his own Work for vengeance is mineâ—… and I will repay it saith the Lord Rom. 12. 19. And Gods time is the best time to revenge in for so saith the Lord by his Prophet Zephaniah 3. 8. Wait ye upon me untill the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine Indignation even all my fierce Anger for All the Earth shall be devoured with the fire of my Jealousie for saith the Prophet It is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of Recompences for the Controversie of Zion Isai. 34. 8. And saith the Lord I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie Zach. 1. 14. For precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal. 116. 15. and Psal. 9. 12. When he maketh Iniquision for blood he remembreth them and forgetteth not the Cry of the humble Had Israel been the Revenge of his own quarrel it had not made so much for Israels comfort neither would Amalek have had his deserved due Israel might have under-done the Work for Israel knew not the bent of Amaleks spirit so well as he that took the Work in hand for God sees not as Man sees Man onely knows the outward act but God also the intention and thought of the heart God without all Question knew that Amalek intended the utter ruine of Israel and therefore Amalek must be utterly destroyed For God is a Righteous God and commonly deals with men by the Law of Retaliation for Adoni-bezek said Threescore and ten Kings having their Thumbs and their great Toes cut off gathered their Meat under my Table as I have done so God hath done to me Judges 1. 7. And Nathan said unto David 2 Sam. 12. 9. Thou hast done evil in the sight of the Lord thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the Sword and hast taken his Wife to be thy Wife now therefore the Sword shall never depart from thine House c. And I will take thy Wives before thine eyes and give them to thy Neighbour and he shall lye with them in the sight of the Sun for thou didst this secretly but I will do this before all Israel and before the Sun And the Prophet Samuel also said unto King Agag 1 Sam. 15. 33. As thy Sword hath made Women Childless so shall thy Mother be Childless among Women and Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord It is good for men then in all their undertakings to do to others as they would have others to do unto them And this is that golden Rule that the Lord Christ himself layes down Mat. 7. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets And that he might the better bespeak his People to a strict Observation of this Lesson he requires them in the first and second verses Not to judge lest they be judged for saith he with what judgement ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure ye met it shall be measured to you again The perfect Law of Retaliation I am the willinger to say the more to this though I am upon a digression because if possible I might keep others from transgression for there are many in this our day I know that are ready and willing to
upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem And Thirdly This may serve for a Use of Exhortation to Members of Congregations and Children and Servants of particular Families that they be also constant in this Duty of Prayer in the behalf of their respective Pastors Elders Fathers or Masters that they may be so directed by divine Assistance that as under their Prince so likewise under them they may lead a peaceable a quiet and a godly life in all godliness and honesty And so I shall passe to my Third and last Teachable Conclusion viz. Thirdly That outward Enjoyments do many times so affect the Heart of man as that they lift them up even to the forgetting of God to their own ruine The great Jehovah knowing right well the nature of things as he was the Maker of thom and the temper of Mans Heart as he was the Former of it when he caused Moses to let Israel know the particular Priviledges they should enjoy in the Land of Canaan Deut. 8. he giveth them this Caution v. 12 13 14. That when they had eaten and were full and had built goodly Houses and dwelt therein when their Heards and Flocks their Silver and their Gold was encreased that then their heart should not be listed up But the truth of this Assertion we may see verified in Belshazzar King of Babylon for when Daniel was sent for to Read and Interpret the Haud-writing on the Wall to Belshazzar Dan. 5. 18. he said O King the Most High God gave unto thy Father a Kingdom and Majesty and Glory and Power and for the Majesty he gave him all People Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive whom he would he set up and whom he would he put down as thou dost now O King But when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned in Pride he was deposed from his Kingly Throne and they took his glory from him and he was driven from the Sons of Men and his heart was made like the Beasts and his dwelling was with the wild Asses they fed him with grass like Oxen and his body was wet with the Dew of Heaven till he knew that the Most High Ruleth in the Kingdom of men and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will Whence we may note That as his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned in Pride so it was upon the account of his high enjoyments to the forgetting of God who dispensed them to him which we see was the Cause of his casting down The like we may see in Uzziah 2 Chron. 26. 1. who after the death of Amaziah his Father was made King of Judah And he Reigned in Jerusalem fifty and two years and he did that which was right in the fight of the Lord And V. 5. He fought God in the dayes of Zechariah who had understanding in the Visions of God and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper And he went forth and warred against the Philistines and brake down the Wall of Gath and the Wall of Jabneh and the Wall of Ashdod and God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians and the Ammonites gave gifts to him and his Name spread abroad even to the entring in of Egypt for he strengthened himself exceedingly and he built Towers both in Jerusalem and in the Desert and digged many Wells for he had much Cattel both in the law Countrey and in the Plains Husbandmen also and Vine-dressers Moreover he had an Host of fighting men that went out to War in Bands his chief men or Captains of War were two thousand and six hundred And vers. 15. He made in Jerusalem Engins of War made by cunning Work-men to be on the Towers and on the Bulwarks to shoot Arrowes and great Stones withal and his Name spread far abroad for he was marvellously helped till he was strong But when he was strong V. 16. his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord and burned Incense upon the Altar of Incense And he was struck with Leprosie and died without cure Thus whilst Uzzia sought the Lord V. 5. God made him to prosper But when his heart was lifted up and he forgat God God left him and punished his sin with a Disease that to him proved mortal Whence we note That when Uzziah separates himself from his God by forgetting him God by that Leprosie separated him from the Priviledges of his House and the Society of men and from all things that were the Cause of his hearts lifting up for so saith the Text ver. 21. And Uzzia the King was a Leper until the day of his death and dwelt in a several house being a Leper for he was cut off from the House of the Lord And Jotham his Son was over the Kings House Judging the People of the Land And thus we see the Lord had a Controversie with the Prince of Tyrus against whom he gave out a Commission to the Prophet Ezek. 28. 2. saying Son of Man say unto the Prince of Tyrus Thus saith the Lord Because thine heart is lifted up and thou hast said I am a god I sit in the Seat of God in the midst of the Seas yet thou art a Man and not God though thou set thine heart as the heart of God And the reason of the lifting up of his heart is rendred in the fourth and fifth verses which proves our Assertion fully for saith vers. 4. With thy Wisdom and with thy Understanding thou hast gotten thee riches and hast gotten Gold and Silver into thy Treasuries And v. 5. By thy great Wisdom and by thy Traffick hast thou encreased thy riches and thy heart is lifted up because of thy riches V. 7. Behold therefore I will bring strangers upon thee the terrible of the Nations and they shall draw their Sword against the beauty of thy Wisdom and they shall defile thy brightness And v. 8. They shall bring thee down to the Pit and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the Seas And vers. 10. Thou shalt die the death of the Uncircumcised by the hand of Strangers for I have spoken it saith the Lord Thus whilst mens hearts are lifted up and they forget God in the Enjoyment of outward things and with the rich Man in the Gospel Luke 12. 19. begin to live to themselves and to sing a Requium to their Souls the Lord we see brings them down with a Thou Fool this night shall they require thy Soul from thee So that we see the Point also fully proved viz. That outward Enjoyments many times do so affect the heart of man as that they lift it up even to the forgetting of God to their own ruine Several Uses might be made hereof the which for brevity sake I shall here omit And shall onely this say