run head-long to the ruine of the People of God here though it be to the ruine of their own Souls hereafter and that to Eternity for so saith the Lord Christ himself Mat. 25. 41. Then shall the King say to them on his left hand Depart from me ye cursed into Everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for when I was an Hungry ye gave me no meat I was Thirsty and ye gave me no Drink I was a Stranger and ye took me not in Naked and ye cloathed me not Sick and in Prison and ye visited me not for inasmuch as ye did it not to one of these little ones v. 45. or the least of-these my brethren ye did it not unto me v. 40. Whence I would have all persecuting spirits to take notice That if Christ at that great day will be so strict upon men for omitting the doing of that good that they might have done to the People of God that he will be far more stricter with them for doing Acts of violence against them for God is very tender of his People however men esteem of them and so saith the Prophet Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his eye God hath been Eminent in his Judgements of late dayes And therefore let all persecuting spirits hear and fear and tremble for the Lord will appear mightily for his People But to return to our matter King Saul being fully Commissionated for this work of Amaleks destruction and being perswaded to the faithful performance thereof by Samuel upon the account of what Benefits God had done for him yet Saul rendred not according to the Benefits bestowed upon him and therefore he was looked upon as a Rebel astainst God 1 Sam. 15. 23. in that he saved the best of the Sheep and Oxen and King Agag alive and this caused God to rend the Kingdom from him v. 28. And this is that together with his going to the Witch of Endor that also cost him his life for so saith the Text 1 Chron. 10. 13. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the Word of the Lord which he kept not and also for asking Counsel of one that had a familiar spirit to enquire of it So that in Saul also we see the Assertion made good That God requires suitable returns for Benefits bestowed though from the greatest of Men or Nations upon the neglect whereof God punisheth without respect of Persons It is neither the Name Dignity nor Power of the greatest of Kings that can exempt them from the sin-revenging hand of God for Tophet is ordained of old saith the Prophet Isaiah 30. 33. yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the Breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Neither is it the greatness of a Nation or a People that can excuse them if they be found sinning against God witness Israel of old a Nation like the Sands of the Sea shore or as the Stars in the Firmament for number yea the Lords Portion for so saith the Text Deut. 32. 9. The Lords People are his Portion Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance the Vineyard that his own right hand hath planted Psal. 80. 15. Such as in their day had the highest Priviledges of any Nations under the Heavens for so saith the Prophet David Psal. 147. 19 20. He shewed his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation And as for his Iudgements they have not known them yet for all this by reason of Gods sin-revenging hand upon them the Apostle Paul takes up a great Lamentation Rom. 9. the beginning and tells us That he could wish himself that he were accursed from Christ for his Brethrens sake concerning the flesh who saith he are Israelites to whom pertaineth the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the Promises whose are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came Yet notwithstanding all these high Priviledges the Prophet is sent to them with a Message from the Lord Isaiah 6. 9 10. Go saith the Lord and tell this People Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this People fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed And what 's the Cause of all this may some say Answ. The Prophet that was sent on this Message with other of the Prophets will give a perfect answer and tell you That Israel did not render unto the Lord according to his Benefits bestowed and therefore wrath was upon them from the Lord for God had planted them a noble Vine wholly a Righteous Seed but they were turned into the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine unto him saith the Prophet Jeremiah 2. 21. And the Prophet Isaiah sings the same Song Isaiah 5. 1 c. Now will I sing saith he to my well Beloved a Song of my well Beloved touching his Uineyard My well beloued hath a Uineyard in a very fruitful Hill and he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choisest Uine and he Built a Tower and set a Winepress therein and he looked that it should bring forth Grapes and it brought forth Wild Grapes V. 7. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel and the Men of Judah his pleasant Plant and he looked for Judgement but behold Oppression for Righteousness but behold a Cry And therefore God calls themselves to Judge the Cause v. 3. And now O Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah Judge I pray you between me and my Vineyard What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it And now saith he Go to I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard I will take away the Hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the Wall thereof and it shall be troden down and I will lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up Bryers and Thorns And for these Mis-actings of theirs the Lord by his Prophet Isai. 1. 2. takes up a great complaint saying Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me the Ox knoweth his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my People do not consider Ah! sinful Nation a People laiden with Iniquity a Seed of Evil-doers Children that are Corrupters they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger they are gone away backward By Reason whereof we see the Lord looks upon their
Holy Duties as nothing even as vanity and their burning of Incense an abomination unto him Whence we may note That though men be in the Perfect and Real Way of God as to his Worship yet if they do not render to God if their Conversation answer not their Profession the best of their Worship is but vain and abominable in Gods sight and such as God is weary to bear Isai. 1. 14. And such persons are looked upon as Enemies to the Crosse of Christ Phil. 3. 18. And God looked upon them to be so to him and such as he will not long be burthened withal for so saith the Prophet Isaiah 1. 24. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the Mighty One if Israel Ah! I will ease me of mine Anversaries I will avenge me on mine Eâ—…emies And we find this threatning was made good upon them Zach. 7. 13 14. Therefore saith the Prophet it is come to pass that as he cryed and they would not hear so they cryed and I would not hear but I scattered them with a Whirl-wind among all the Nations whom they knew not c. and so they continue a scattered people to this very day So that we see the Assertion made good in them also That God requires suitable Returns for Mercies bestowed though from the greatest of Men or Nations upon the neglect whereof God punisheth without respect of persons So that we see the point fully proved upon Nebuchadnezzar and Saul two Great and Potent Kings and also ugon Israel the greatest of Nations and that not onely upon the account of multitude but also the greatest Priviledged Nation under the Heavens I shall not spend time to lay down the Reasons of the Point but in a word shall say what the Lord Christ saith Luke 12. 48. To whom much is given of him shall be much required And so I shall come to some Uses that may be made of the Point For as Practice is the very life of Profession So the Uses of a Sermon being well applyed become words spoken in season which the Wise Man saith Are like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25. 11. And seeing it is so that God requires suitable Returns for Benefits bestowed upon the neglect whereof God punisheth c. This then may serve for a Use to great ones and first to thy self O King to Exhort thee in the Name and Fear of Cod seriously to consider particularly what God hath done for thee how God hath preserved thee both abroad and in this Land of thy Nativity and let me humbly beg thee once again seriously to consider the Hollow Oak and that little Vessel which rides in thy constant view and those that were acting in and by them for thy personal preservation the which if report be true thou hast in a great measure already done which is very commendable But this is that O King that I am chiefly pleading for that thou wouldst endeavour to look through and beyond them even to the Finger and Power of that God that wrought in and by them not only for thy Temporal but also if thou beest not wanting to thy self for thy Eternal preservation if thou dost make suitable Returns to him that so wrath may not follow To this purpose consider every one of thy Thoughts and Intentions and examine them before thou put them into action see whether they tend to a suitable Returning to God for such great Benefits received from God or not And if this O King be the bent of thy Spirit and thy continued practice I can assure thee from the Word of the Lord that it will be a lengthning out of thy Tranquillity for so saith the wisest of men by the assictance of the Eternal Spirit Prov. 16. 7. When a mans wayes please the Lord he will make even his Enemies to be at peace with him and not onely so but thou shalt also have a Benefit hereafter and that to Eternity for so saith the Lord by the mouth of a King Psal. 50. 23. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God And secondly O King seeing many Great Ones in this Nation have had a great share in the Benefits God hath bestowed upon thee this may serve for a Use of Exhortation also to them to perswade them to consider seriously what God hath done for them in doing for thee and further to examine what suitable Returns they have already made and what Rendrings they intend to make to God for such great Benefits bestowed I desire to urge this the rather because I see many of their Coaches standing daily where I fear they cannot duly Render to God according to such Mercies bestowed and therefore I shall desire to discharge my Conscience to them in letting them know That without Holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. and without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb 11. 6. Which Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Heb. 10. 17. and not by Hearing scurrility in Stage-playes May-games and Pastimes Consider O ye Great Ones that are guilty of such actings and know that God requires other things from you and make suitable Returns to God lest God Return his Judgements with Indignation and so the last be worse than the first for we usually say that Relapses are dangerous and many times prove worse than the first Distemper Thirdly Seeing God requires suitable Returns for Benefits bestowed though from the greatest of Men or Nations upon the neglect whereof God punisheth without respect of Persons This then may also serve for a Use of Exhortation and Examination to this Nation considered as a Nation And as some have said They to wit the Nation was a Body without a Head meaning they were without a King for the King is the Head or Supream 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. according to that of Samuel also to Saul 1 Sam. 14. 17. And Samuel said to Saul When thou wast little in thine own sight wast thou not made the Head of the Tribes of Israel And the Lord anointed thee King over Israel c. So that now O England thou canst not so Complain for by a miraculous hand thy Head is restored to thee again examine thy self now what Benefit thou hast received and also how thou art bettered thereby Dost thou render to God according to his Benefits bestowed Art thou grown more Holy than thou wast Or rather art thou not grow openly prophane out of a sense of Gods Great Love to thee Dost thou rejoyce before the Lord with trembling Or rather is not thy rejoycing such as that it would and doth even make a truly Regenerate Soul tremble to behold it Art thou rendring to God for bringing this great Design about without shedding of blood Or rather is not thy Behaviour such as suddenly may cause God to open another vein to the Effusion of thy Bloud even to the Confusion of thy face Art
Wife into his House for so saith the Text v. 18. For Pharaoh called Abraham and said What is this that thou hast done unto me Why didst thou not tell me she was thy Wife Why saidst thou she is my Sister So I might have taken her to me to Wife Though Pharaoh sins I say and that ignorantly too as it is clear he did yet his House must be plagued with great Plagues Whence by the way I would have all to take notice That it is not ignorance that will excuse or shroud neither the meanest nor the greatest of men from the sin-revenging hand of God And secondly That God takes special care for his faithful ones so as that he will not respect persons when they evilly entreat them for so saith the Prophet Psal. 115. 14 15. He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sake saying Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm And thus as Abraham was travelling towards the South Countrey whilst he so journed in Gerar the Lord reproved Abimelech also King of Gerar for his sake Gen. 20. For Abraham again said of Sarah his Wife she is my Sister and Abimelech King of Gerar sent and took Sarah v. 2. But God came to Abimelech in a Dreame by night and said unto him Thou art but a dead man a sharp Reproof indeed And he gives him a Reason for his so saying For the Woman saith he which thon hast taken is a mans Wife v. 3. Yet saith the Text Abimelech had not come near her v. 4. And Abimelech said Lord wilt thou stay also a Righteous Nation Said he not she is my Sister and she even she her self said He is my Brother in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this v. 5. And God said unto him in a Dream yea I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart for I also withheld thee from sinning against me therefore suffered I thee not to touch her v. 6. Whence I would note also by the way First That he who is the Searcher of the heart and Tryer of the reins takes a perfect account of the bent of the spirits of the Sons and Daughters of Men And secondly That accordingly he either restrains Souls from sinning against him or else gives persons up to commit sin with greediness for so saith the Text And as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge therefore God gave them up to a reprobate mind Rom. 1. 28. But this is that in the seventh verse that makes the Assertion good Now therefore saith the Lord restore the Man his Wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt live and if thou restore her not know thou that thou shalt surely die thou and all that thou hast The like we may see made good in Achans Family Josh. 7. That when Achan had taken of the accursed things that goodly Babylonish Garment the Silver and the Wedge of Gold the Judgement extended not onely to the punishment of himself but also to his whole Family and all that was his for so saith the Text Josh. 7. 24. And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the Son of Zerah and the Silver and the Garment and the Wedge of Gold and his Sons and his Daughters and his Oxen and his Asses and his Sheep and his Tent and all that he had And v. 25. They burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones Now the Lord Christ saith Mat. 18. 16. That in the mouth of two or three witnesses every Truth shall be established and I having proved each Particular in the Assertion by two witnesses at the least That God many times punisheth a People for the misactings of their Governours whether in Church State or particular Families And now lest I make my lines too numerous I shall forbear to lay down any Reasons of the Point but shall proceed to some Uses that may be for our present benefit And seeing it is so That God many times punisheth a People for the misactings of their Governours whether in Church State or particular Families This then may serve for a Use of Exhortation to thee O King to thee and to all Kings Princes and Governours of Nations Pastors and Elders of Congregations and Masters of Families as they tender their own good and the good of those that are under them that they walk before the Lord and go in and out before their People in singleness of heart and in the sincerity of their Souls as in the sight of God having a single-eye to the Glory of God and the good of the Souls that are under their charge carefully watching over all their thoughts words and actions so as that they bring not the Judgements of God upon their people by their misactings and to be often with the Lord in Prayer that so they may have his Direction and Protection in all their Enterprises and Undertakings to the comfort of their own Souls and the Peace Benefit and Well-being of those that are under them And secondly This may also serve for a Uâ—… of Exhortation to all Subjects though they be Pastors or Elders of Congregations and Masters of Families as well as Members of Churches or Children or Servants in particular Families that they be often at the Throne of Grace in the behalf of their Kings Princes and Governours and in special that Englands Subjects be often with the Lord in the behalf of their KING who from his long Exile and Restraint is brought again into this Land of his Nativity which is so full of Licentiousnes Luxury and Lasciviousness Revilings Rendings and Tearings Roarings Rantings and Swearings with those Abominations of Stage-Playes May-games and Pastimes Pride and Prodigality that God in Mercy would be pleased to direct his Heart so as that he be not won either to own or allow of them but to disown diswade and discountenance them And that God would farther strengthen both his Heart and Hand to prosecute that lovely laudable prudent pious Conscientious and Christian that truly Noble and most Heroick Princely PROCLAMATION by Him issued forth at his first coming amongst us again and since by him seconded by another that so England though now even a sink of Abominations may by the good hand of God upon us by his industry become as it shall be once said of Jerusalem to be a Praise of the whole Earth And that God would direct him so to consider of his Holy Things as that he present nothing to God but what is Commanded by God that so God may not only Crown him with a Crown of Gold here but also with that Crown of Glory which shall never fade away And that he be thus found Rendring to the Lord considering the danger of the neglect thereof For Hezekiah rendered 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 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
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
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
That we see by common Experience That they that are hunger-bit when they come to their full of Diet they run upon it with greediness like Israel of old 1 Sam. 14. 32. Who flew upon the Spoil and took Sheep and Oxen and Calves and slew them on the ground and the People did eat them with the Blood Which was contrary to the Law of God and which became their sin Even so hunger-bit Souls many times eat with that eagerness that they do not onely sin in their Excess but also Surfeit themselves to the loss of their lives This then may serve for a Use of Caution to thee O King that of a long time hast been a Stranger to this Land of thy Nativity and hast been forced to wander from one Kingdom to another Nation from one Language to another People in penury and want and now being come to three Kingdoms of thine own flowing with Milk and Honey and yet abounding in all manner of Excess of Riot let me Caution thee in the fear of the Lord that thou surfeit not thy self upon the profits nor pleasures thereof nor let thy Men of Valour neither Domestick nor Forreign that are lately come over to thy assistance cause thee to put thy confidence in an Arm of flesh lest thy heart be lifted up and so thou forget thy God to thine own ruine Neither surfeit thy self with too much blood-shed lest thou make thy self Blood-guilty and so God begin a new Inquisition but rather shew Pitty and Compassion Love and Lenity and rather Lament than Launce and rather Triumph over the killing thy Corruptions than thy Subjects and resolve to refer thy will to the Lord who saith Uengeance is mine and I will repay it Rom. 12. 19. I would here be understood in a good sence for I do not desire the Obstruction of the due Administration of Justice but that it may be so administred that Mercy may be intermixed therewith and also that Relenting and Sobriety and not Exaltation and Inhumanity be in the Execution For I know That it is an Ordinance of God For Magistrates are set up for the punishment of Evil doers Rom. 13. 3 4. For the Law is not made for the Righteous man but for the Lawless and Disobedient for the Ungodly and for Sinners for Unholy and Prophane for Murtherers of Fathers and Murtherers of Mothers for Man-slayers for Whoremongers and for them that defile themselves with man-kind for Man-stealers for Lyars and perjâ—…red persons or any thing else that is contrary to sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. And seeing the Apostle saith That in many things we offend all James 3. 2. For if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1. 8. O then be perswaded to bring thy self to the Bar of Gods Justice and there Arraign Judge and condemn thy self for saith our Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 31. If we would Judge our selves we should not be Judged but when we are Judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World And this O King is the readiest way I know of to render duely to God and to keep thy heart from being lifted up that so wrath fall not upon thee and thy Kingdoms I beseech thee then in the fear of the Great Jehovah consider what I say and the Lord in Mercy make thee Wise that as thou art an Heir to a Crown of gold here so thou mayest he made partaker of that Crown of Righteousness which never fadeth away which saith the Apostle The Lord the Righteous Judge shall give to 〈◊〉 at that day and not to 〈◊〉 onely but unto all them also that love his appearanâ—…e 2 Tim. 3. 8. And so O King let thy Soul in the singleness thereof Eccho with mine and say Even so come Lord Iesus come quickly A DECLARATION Of a small Society of BAPTIZED BELIEVERS undergoing the Name of FREE-WILLERS about the CITY of LONDON WE well knowing that we are and have been mis-represented to the People of this and other Nations as well by particular Letters from friend to friend as by publick Intelligence in Pamphlets and News-Books by which means we have been rendred odious in the eyes almost of all and as it were made a by-word and a hissing to all were notwithstanding willing according to the requirement of our Saviour Luke 21. 19. In our patience to possesse our Souls and silently to wait upon our God for a clearing of our innocency and the cleannesse of our hands in his eye-sight But lately having had a view of a Declaration dated the 12th of December last made by some Persons of the particular Judgment in which some others of another perswasion have joyned to the which in severall particulars we cannot in the least assent We therefore thought it our bounden Duty for the vindication of that Truth which we are in present profession and practice of as also fearing lest they having declared to publick view we by our silence should be looked upon either to be of the same Judgment with them in what they have declared or else guilty of all or some of those five Particulars they in that Declaration say the Baptists in general are charged withall have therefore set pen to paper and shall first give a particular of the said five Charges and then as in the presence of God lay down our real Judgments and Perswasions grounded upon Scripture record to those Charges by which it will be apparent that we are not guilty of them at all and that we differ from the said Declarers in point of Judgment and if we shall in any thing therein derogate from the minde of God we shall desire in the Spirit of love to be rectified by better Judgments from the word of truth and shall think our selves happy gainers in such a Christian reproof Say they we being mis-represented to the Nation 1. As such as are opposite to Magistracy 2. That we would destroy the Publick Ministry of the Nation who differ from us in some things about Religion 3. That we do countenance the People called Quakers in their irregular practice 4. That we do endeavour a toleration of all miscarriages in things Ecclesiastical and Civil under pretence of Liberty of Conscience 5. That we desire to murther and destroy those that differ from us in matters of Religion To the first we positively say that we are so far from opposing Magistracy as that it would be to us matter of great rejoycing to know who were our Magistrates But farr greater to see such set up who are men fearing God and hating covetousness that so 〈◊〉 might be duly executed without respect of persons and Judgment 〈◊〉 down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream that so there might be no more leading into captivity that complaining in our streets might have an end But for our parts to take a carnal weapon in our hands or use the least violence