to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Pritnces Rulers Governors and Magistrates then are required to do tha work for which they are set up for they are Gods Vice-gerents set up by him for the due Administration of Justice and not to be a terrour to good works but to the evil and are continually to attend upon that very thing Rom. 13. 1 3 4 6. In that Antient History of the Succession oâ—… the Saxon Monarchs page 370. It is Recorded to the yet lasting fame of Edgar sometimes a King of this Island That he was so endowed with that Heaven-bred and most Heroick Principle of the due Administration of Justice as in his Circuits he took so strick an account of the due Execution of his Laws and of the Demeanour of his great Men and especially of his Judges as that he severely punished them as often as he found the Execution of their Places ballanced either with bribery or partiality So that saith the Story there was never less Robbery Deceit nor Oppression than in the Reign of this worthy King Therefore let me beg thee O King as thou tenderest thy own good both here and hereafter Rule with Diligence and with King Edgar let After-ages know to thy lasting Praise that thou hadst a delight to do thy Subjects good in seeking Judgement in Relieving the Oppressed in Judging the Fatherless and in Pleading for the Widow in being a terrour to Evil Works and in shewing thy self a 〈◊〉 of them that do well Measure thy Subjects Actions by a direct Rule And as thou art a King over three Kingdoms such as make much adâ—… about their Christianity see that their Actions be Christ-like for the assuming either the Title or Form of Christianity cannot do it for from such as have not the Power of Godliness there ought to he by the People of God a turning away 2 Tim. 3. 5. For every one that nameth the Name of Christ is to depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. And it ought to be their onely care to have their Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ striving together for the Faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27 Not for the Promotion of Stage-Playes Dancings May-games and Pastimes for Christians are to abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thes. 5. 22. And as Pilgrims and Strangers they are to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the Soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. And the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the World and must perish with the World 1 Joh. 2. 16. Be careful therefore I beseech thee O King of the Actions of thy Subjects it stands thee in hand so to do for a fruitful Land God turneth into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein Psal. 107. 34. Yea and thou maist fare the worse for it too For the Transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof But by a man of understanding and Knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged saith the Wisest of the Sons of men Prov. 28 2. O then in the fear of him that accepteth not the person of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poor Job 34. 19. In the fear of him that leadeth Princes away spoiled and overthroweth the strength of the Mighty that poureth contempt upon Princes and weakneth the Mighty that taketh away the heart of the Chief of the People of the Earth and causeth them to wander in a Wilderness where there is no way Job 12. 19 21 24. In the fear of him that bringeth Princes to nothing and maketh the Judges of the Earth as vanity Isai. 40. 23. In the fear of that God that hath done such great things for thee be perswaded for thine own good to render to him according to his Mercy bestowed in seeing the due Administration of Justice without respect of persons that so thou mayest Relieve the poor oppressed of thy People that of a long time have groaned under the Administration of Male-Justice And know O King that as thou art to do justly so thou art required to love Mercy it is that which God accepteth before Sacrifice for so saith the Prophet Hos. 6. 6. For I desired Mercy and not Sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than Burnt-offerings for by Mercy and Truth Iniquity is purged and by the fear of God men depart from evil Prov. 16. 6. For Mercy and Truth preseve the King and his Throne is upholden by Mercy For he that followeth after Righteousness and Mercy findeth Life Righteousness and Honour Prov. 21. 21. A good man is Merciful and lendeth and his Seed shall be blessed Psal. 37. 26. Yea Blessed are the Merciful for they shall obtain Mercy Mat. 5. 7. But he shall have Iudgement without Mercy that hath shewed no Mercy And Mercy rejoyceth against Judgement James 2. 13. The neglect of shewing Mercy is that which caused the wrath of God to burn hot against Israel of old Zech. 7. 9. For thus spake the Lord of Hosts saying Execute true Judgement and shew Mercy and Compassion every man to his Brother and oppress not the Widow nor the Fatherless the stranger nor the Poor and let none of you imagine evil against his Brother in his heart But they refused to hearken and plucked away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear c. Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts V. 12. Then be perswaded O King to shew Acts of Mercy thou hast Objects enough to exercise it upon and know That pure Religion and undesiled before God and the Father is this To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction James 1. 27. Not to make Fatherless and Widows to bring them to Affliction And in thy shewing Mercy take the Advice of the Spirit of God in Rom. 12. 8. To do it readily and with Cheerfulness Thou hast begun already to tread in this Way in thy Act of Oblivion let not the malicious endeavours of any though never so great pervert thy steps for it is one of Zions Paths A third thing that is required of thee O King is That as thou art to do Justly and to love mercy so also to walk humbly with thy God But here it may be demanded when a person may be said to walk humbly with God To this I Answer A man may then be properly said to walk humbly with his God when he goeth not before God or without God in his Actions but that in all his undertakings he doth that which is required of him by God in order to his humble obedience to God whether it be in the Worship and Service of God or in his Actings towards men Thus Enoch walked with God three hundred years Gen. 5. 22. And Enoch walking with God God was so well pleased therewith as that he exempted him from the Pangs of Death for so saith the Text V. 24. And Enoch walked
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
the Good of the King or the Benefit but of one Soul be thereby produced he hath his End who desireth according to the Ability received to remain Thy Faithful Friend in the Truths of Jesus HENRY ADIS. An After-Word to the READER READER I Knowing the temper of the spirits of the generality of the Sons and Daughters of men of this Nation in this juncture of time cannot but expect that thou shouldst be something unsatisfied with my plainness of speech and my Terms of Thy Thee Thou and O King in my Discourse to the King and also in that I afford him not those Titles that some men are pleased to put upon him and therein I am perswaded thou wilt be ready to judge me as one that am either peremptorily slighting or peevishly undervaluing the King because I do not say and do to and for him as thou haply canst and dost Or at the best for the plainness of my speech thou wilt conclude me to be one of those New-lighted men of our age commonly distinguished by the name of Quakers because that in their Speakings and Writings they generally use the same Terms and to say Truth if they did not speak the Language and wear the Cloathing of the Sheep of Christ they could not Wolf-like so easily deceive as generally they do Therefore Reader I do hereby assure thee that I am not of that Synagogue for through mercy I can groundedly and upon a good account let thee know that I walk by the direction of a more surer word of Prophesie to which I shall endeavour by the assistance of the Eternal Spirit to take good heed to and from which I shall warrant the soundness and manner of my Speech though it be in such plainness and without flattery to be of God And because these Notionists have some of Canaans Language in their mouths I shall therefore no more forbear the using of it than the Apostle Peter did the Confessing of Christ to be the Son of the living God Mat. 16. 16. Because the Devil in so many words acknowledged the same Mat. 8. 29. Mark 5. 7. Luke 8. 28. Neither shall I resolve to alter my Habit because these men being deceived run up and down in the sheeps cloathing deceiving but shall patiently wait upon God for a Manifestation of them and all others to be of the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Ieweâ—… and are not but do lie In the mean while Reader in Christian love I shall further endeavour thy satisfaction and in the singleness of my Soul I shall let thee know that I both do and shall Honour the King with that honour and respect that the Lord requireth I should as in this Discourse compared with my Declaration in the end of this Book folded is evident although as thou haply mayest Judge in my so speaking I rudely behave my self Therefore for thy farther satisfaction know That as I am a Servant to the Most High God and a Member of a Church of Christ So I look upon it to be my Duty to Regulate my Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ and to walk in the footsteps of the Flock of God gone before who though according to the Requirement of God they were obedient to Kings Rulers and Governours yet they gave them no other Language than in this my Discourse I give to King CHARLES witness that Discourse the Prophet Daniel had wiâ—…h that Head of Gold that King of Kings 〈◊〉 King of Babylon Daniel 2. 29. who said As for thee O King thy thoughts came into thy head and thou O King sawest c. And in ver. 31. And thou O King art King of Kings Ver. 37. And thou art this Head of Gold Verie 38. And in Dan. 4. 22. It is thou O King that art grown and become strong and thy greatness is grown and reacheth unto Heaven and thy Dominion unto the ends of the Earth yet they shall drive thée from men and thy dwelling shall be with the Beasts of the Field and they shall make thée to eat grass as Oxen and they shall wet thée with the dew of Heaven and seven times shall pass over thée till thou know that the Most High Ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whom he will V. 25. Wherefore O King let my Counsel be acceptable to thée aâ—…d break off thy sins by Righteousness and thine iniquity by shewing Mercy to the Poor is it may be a lengthning out if thy Tranquility But lest any man should say that Nebuchadnezzar was a Heathen and therefore the Prophet gave him neither the Titles nor that due Respect that otherwise he would have done In Answer whereunto I shall lay before thee the Prophet David a King in Israel and a man after Gods own heart who if it had been his due by Gods Appointment could as well have become the Tiâ—…le of Sacred and Most Sacred Majesty as any He that I ever read or heard oâ—… either before or after him to this very day yet we read that when the Propheâ—… came to him in the case of Uriah the Hittite he said noâ—… May it please your Saâ—…red Majesty but Nathan said unto David 2 Sam. 12. 7. Thou art the Man And V. 9. Thou hast killed Uriah thâ—… Hittite with the Sword and taken his Wife to be thy Wife now theâ—…fore the Sword shall not depart from thy House Neither did â—…he Woman of Tâ—…koah in Absoloms case come with a May it please your â—…st Sacred Majesty for we may plainly understand what her Dialect was to King David 2 Sam. 14. 5. Even Help O King Then said she V. 11. I pray thée let the King Remember the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not suffer the Revenger of blood to destroy Many more Examples of this kind might be sufficiently multiplyed if needâ—…ul But to come nearer even to the dispensation we are now under Peter said unto the Lord Christ to Emanuel even to God with us Mat. 16. 16. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God And the Apostle Paul being a Prisoner and coming to make his defence Acts 26. 2 3. he said I think my self happy King Agrippa because I shall Answer for my self before thée this day for I know thée to be expert in all Customes and Questions among the Jews wherefore I beseech thée not your most Sacred Majesty but I beseech thée to hear me patiently And in V. 13. 14. At mid-day O King I saw a light from Heaven And a voyce speaking unto me Whereupon O King Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heavenly voice V. 19. And in V. 27. King Agrippa Believest thou the Prophets I know thou Beleevest And Paul said V. 29. I would to God that not onely thou but all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such an one as I am except these Bonds Even so shall I say to thee O Reader I would to God that as to my Judgement thou wert even such an
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
14. The Earth shall be filled with the Knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Therefore be sure O King thou have Thus saith the Word of the Lord for thy Warrant for God is a jealous God and will not be served with any thing but what is of his own And this did Hezekiah throughout all Jndah and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God and in every work that he began in the service of the House of God and in the Law and in the Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and saith the Text He prospered Chap. 31. 20 21. Whence we may note That whilst Hezekiahs heart was upright to God God prospered him and thus we find in Holy Writ That whilst men with a perfect heart have a careful eye in all their undertakings to please God God hath a tender eye over them to prosper them And thus whilst Joseph is answering his lustful Mistris with a How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Though Joseph by her revengeful malice be cast into Prison yet God is with him v. 21. And God gives him favour in the eyes of the Prison-Keeper insomuch that the Prison-keeper looked not after any thing that was under his hands and the Reason is added vers. 28. Because the Lord was with him and that which he did the Text saith The Lord made it it prosper And thus whilst Daniel in the Babylonish captivity is resolved in his heart not to defile himself with a portion of the Kings Idolatrous Meat nor of his wine God bringeth Daniel iuto Favour and tender Love with the Prince of the Eunuches Dan. 1. 3 9. Insomuch that the Eunuch will venture his head to the King his Master rather than Daniel shall want that food he desires V. 10 14. A good encouragemant for the People of God in the very worst of times even to take up a Resolution to eye God in what he would have them to do in all things and not at all to fear the faces of men though never so great for if Shadrach Meshach and Abednego will not bow to Nebuchadnezzars Image but keep themselves close to their God God will keep as close to them and one like the Son of Man shall walk with them in that seven times hot fiery Furnace to preserve them Dan. 3. 16 25. Will Daniel Petition no other but the true God though against the Decree of the King that God will send his Angel to shut the mouths of the Lyons that they shall not hurt him Daniel 6. 10. 22. Therefore suffer me to bespeak thee and thy People O King in the Language of Azariah the Son of Obed which he once uttered to King Asa 2 Chron. 15. 1. Hear thou me CHARLES and all England Scotland Ireland and in particular thou proud voluptuous and vain-glorious City of London the Lord is with you whilst you are with him if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you And let not the King be angry if one that is counted a Fannatick speak once more to him not in his own Language but in the words of the Spirit of the Lord in the Prophet David to his Son 1 Chro. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of thy thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Thou knowest O King thou hast had a casting off and that that casting off may not be for ever be perswaded to turn to thy God with all thy heart We usually say That he that would move another to weep must first cry himself he must first begin the passion thus God hath done God hath begun a Work God hath first troden a Path for thee O King to walk in God hath made a Return to thee most miraculously and far I presume beyond thine own Expectation or the Imagination of many others therefore O King Prepare to meet thy God have a care thou walk not in any By-Path but onely and alone in that Path of Returning which God hath troden for thee and as God hath been Miraculous in his Returning to thee O be thou as Eminent in thy returniug to him this is that which I am confident the Lord looketh for at thy hands for so saith the Lip of Truth it self Luke 12. 48. For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and the same voice hath the Spirit of the Lord in my Text But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the Benefits bestowed upon him therefore wrath fell upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem And that I may come to the handling the words themselves I shall briefly shew what God did for Hezekiah that caused him to look for so suitable a return from Hezekiah After these things and the establishment thereof Chap. 32. 1. That is After the Reformation that Hezekiah had made as I have in part laid down and as in the three foregoing Chapters is more particularly discovered After these things and the establishment thereof Sennacherib King of Assyria came and entered into Judah and Encamped against the fenced Cities and thought to win them to himself Whence we may note That though men walk never so close with God yet they cannot be exempted from the malicious endeavours of wicked men David we know is Recorded in holy Writ to be a man after Gods own heart who in the Confidence of his Soul sometimes can say The Lord is on his right hand he shall not be moved Psal. 16. 8. And anon in Psal. 17. 8. he begs of the Lord to hide him under the shadow of his Wings from the wicked that oppress him and from his deadly Enemies Now he will not fear what man can do unto him And anon he cryeth out That one day he shall fall by the hand of Saul Good men are at an uncertainty of quietness or tranquility on this side the grave If the Sons and Daughters of God had too much Happiness and Peace in this life they would then begin to settle upon the Lees and satisfie themselves with that which cannot profit God knows what is fitter for his than they do themselves and therefore it is that he suffers his dearest Children to undergo great Tryals and that for several Reasons First for the Tryal of their Faith according to that of Judg. 2. 21. I will not saith the Lord drive out any of the Nations which Joshua left when he died and the Reason is added That through them I may prove Israel whether they will keep the Way of the Lord to walk therein as their Fathers did keep it therefore saith the Text The Lord left
with God and was not for God took him Enoch walked with God faithfully for without Faith it is Impossible to please God Heb. II. 6. And we find him so Recorded in that Catalogue of faithful ones Heb. II. 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him and before he was translated he had this Testimony That he pleased God Thus Noah also walked with God Gen. 6. 9. And when a World of wicked Men and Women for their ungodliness must be drowned the Lord said unto Noah Come thou and all thy House into the Ark for thee have I seen Righteous before me in this Generation Gen. 6. 1. Thus also Zacharias and Elizabeth the Father and Mother of John the Baptist who walked with God Luke 1. 5 6. who were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless So that I say To walk humbly with God is to follow God fully in all his Laws Statutes Ordinances and Appointments And thus the Church and People of God are required to be Followers of God as dear Children Eph. 5. 1. That as Children are to follow the Directions and Appointments of their Earthly Parents so Gods People should follow the Directions and Appointments of their Heavenly Father and should walk in the foot-steps of the Flock of God gone before who run neither before nor without God but with the Prophet David Psal. 119. 32. in the Laws Statutes Ordinances and Appointments of God Thus they walked humbly with their God So that this is that which I would willingly lay before thee O King and also beg and entreat thee for thine own good seriously to consider of That to walk humbly with God is not to walk in any way but in that which is well-pleasing to God in that way which is by himself directed for his to walk in for persons cannot be said to be no more Forreigners and Sâ—…rangers unless they become fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God being built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner stone Eph. 2. 19 20. By which means onely they grow up an Holy Temple in the Lord in whom they also are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit ver. 21 22. Then consider thy standing O King and with Hezekiah purge out the filthiness of thy Holy Things in order to thy walking humbly with thy God in order to thy Rendring duely to God for thy great Mercies received considering the danger of not Rendring For Hezekiah rendred not again according to the Benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore wrath was upon him and upon Iudah and Ierusalem Thus having shewed in some measure the Occasion of the words of my Text I shall now come to the handling of the words themselves But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the Benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem The words in themselves contain these four Particulars 1. Gods Benefits bestowed upon Hezekiah 2. Hezekiah's Unthankfulness to God 3. The Reason of Hezekiah's Unthankfulness 4. The sad Consequences of his Unthankfulness 1. Gods Benefits bestowed upon Hezekiah in these words Accordcording to the Benefit done unto him 2. Hezekiah's Unthankfulness to God in these words But Hezekiah rendred not again 3. The Reason of Hezekiah's not rendring in these words For his heart was lifted up 4. The sad Conseqnences of Hezekiah's not rendring And they are two fold and implyed in these words 1. Therefore there was wrath upon him And 2. Upon Iudah and Ierusalem But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the Benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem Thus having laid down the Occasion of the words of the Text and the Particulars contained in the Text I shall now proceed to lay down what teachable Conclusions may be drawn from the Text which are these three 1. 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 2. That many times God punisheth a People for the miscarriages of their Governours whether in Church or State or in a particular Family 3. That outward enjoyments many times do so affect the heart of man as that they lift it up even to the forgetting of God and to their own ruine To the first of these That God requires suitable Returns for Benefits bestowed though from the great est of Men or Nations upon the neglect whereof God punisheth without respect of persons King David I presume was well acquainted with the Truth of this Assertion which made him so earnestly enquire what he should render to God in Psal. 116. after a full Declaration of what God had particularly done for his Soul he oryeth out ver. 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits bestowed upon me And in vâ—…13 and 14. he gives in his Resolution I will saith he take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord I will pay my Vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all his People and in Psal. 58. 12. These Vowes are upon me O God I will render Praises unto thee But for the proof of this point consider Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon who dreamed a Dream which to him was very terrible insomuch that his spirit was troubled and his sleep brake from him Dan. 2. 1. Then the King commanded to call the Magicians and the Astrologers and the Sorcerers and the Caldeans to shew the King his Dream to whom he promised great Rewards if they could shew him the Dream and the Interpretation for it was gone from the King But if they could not then he threatned death to them and ruine to their Houses vers. 6 7 8 9. The which they could not do and thereupon a Command went out from the King to slay them The Executioners of whose Will sought Daniel and his Fellows also to slay them Then Daniel enquired of Arioch the Captain of the Kings Guard the Reason of the hastiness of the Decree from the King who telling him the matter Daniel went in to the King and desired time that he might shew the King both the Dream and the Interpretation the which being granted he suddenly after came and told it the King V. 31. Thou O King sawest and behold a great Image this great Image whose brightness was excellent stood before thee and his form was terrible This Images Head was of fine Gold his Breast and his Armes of Silver his Belly and his Thighs of Brass his Leggs of Iron his Feet part of Iron and part of Clay Thou sawest till that a Stone was cut out without hands which smote the Image upon his Féet that were part