note that a Gospel Minister is not to be like the General of an Army to frighten beat or fight men into faith but as an Ambassador to perswade and invite and gently to treat with and to entreat into the way of God the one being Diabolical but the other Evangelical and the way of Love being Gods Way this is one of the distinguishing Characters of a true Gospel-Minister whom the Love of Christ hath constrained which causeth men to look upon them to be Faâ—…naticks or mad men for so saith our Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 13. For whether we be besides our selves it is to God or whether we be sober it is for your Cause for the Love of Christ constraineth us And saith he in Chap. 12. 14. I will not be burthensom to you for I seek not yours but you and he gives this in as a Reason for saith he The Children ought not to lay up for the Parents but the Parents for the Children and I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love the less I am loved And such are made Over-seers of the Flock of God by the Holy Ghost Acts 20. 28. who feed it and take the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not of filthy lucre but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 5. 2. as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. Such are good Shepherds and not Hirelings who will lay down their life for the sheep John 10. 11. Whilst others being made Overseers by men instead of feeding the Flock feed upon the Flock as those careless Shepherds spoken of Ezek. 34. 2 3 4. against whom a Woe is pronounced Who feed themselves who eat the fat and cloath themselves with the Wool and kill them that are fed but feed not the Flock who strengthen not the diseased nor heal the sick nor bind up the broken nor bring again that which is driven away nor séek that which is lost but Rule them with cruelty as the Prophet saith Micah 3. 2 3. Who hate the good and love the evil who pluck off their skins from off them and their flesh from their bones who eat the flesh of my People and stay their skins from off them who break their bones and chop them in pieces as for the Pot and as flesh for the Chaldron v. 5. Who bite with their teeth and cry Peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they make War against him who are Hirelings and not true Shepherds who formerly if a fatter Benefice came in the way would not stay till the Wolf came but hearkned to that Call and left the Sheep to secure themselves from the Wolves if they would But such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvel saith our Apostle 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. For Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light ver. 15. Therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers also be transformed into the Ministers of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their works whilst the true Apostle is as frée to give as fréely he hath received who is ready to Preach the Word and to be instant in season and out of season and to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine according to that good Advice 2 Tim. 4. 2. And thus O King having in some measure given thee the Character of a Gospel-Church and Ministry I shall now beg thee in Gods fear that thou have a care thou open the right Door open not the broad Gate that leads to destruction instead of that narrow way that leads to life Mat. 7. 13 14. If â—…hou incendest to do Gods Work have a care thou doest it in Gods Way And that I may the better perswade thee there unto I shall briefly lay before thee two or three Examples of Gods severity against those that have been careless therein Moses and Aaron the Servants of the Lord Numb. 20. who but for smiting the Rock when they should have spoken to it died in the Wilderness and were not suffered to carry Israel into the Land of Canaan as we may fully understand by comparing the eight verse with 11 12 23. to 29. with Numb. 27. 12. to 15. with Deut. 34. If Saul will save alive those which God will have destroyed Saul must deeply suffer for it 1 Sam. 15. but more of this anon And if Akan will take of the accursed things Akan must deeply suffer for saith the Text Joshua 7. 24 25. And Joshua said Why hast thou troubled us The Lord shall trouble thee this day and all Israel stoned him his Sons and his Daughters his Oxen and his Asses and his Sheep and burned them with fire The Lord give thee O King an understanding heart to consider things aright But to proceed Hezekiah doth not onely stir up the Priests and Levites to the Work of Reformation but also all Judah and Jerusalem and wrote Letters Chap. 30. 1. and made a Decree and made Proclamation that they must come up to Jerusalem to keep the Passeover unto the Lord for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written ver. 5. Whence we may note That in Hezekiah's Reformation he Reformed not according to what had been their custom of a long time nor to what his Father before him did but according as it was written according to the Law of God And this is that which makes the Work to thrive in his hands when he doth Gods Work in Gods Way Therefore let me beg thee O King as thou tenderest thine own good now thou art upon thy Reformation to take Hezekiah for thy Pattern have the Word of the Lord for thy Warrant see thou do it according to the written Law of God for such a Reformation onely will stand and thou with it But if thou do it according to the former customs and what thy Father did before thee thou sawest that fell and him with it for what is of man will come to nothing but if it be of God it cannot be overthrown Acts 5. 38 39. And know O King that much Knowledge and true Light hath broken forth within these twelve years and what men might do in Ignorance haply may be excusable which now cannot for so saith our Apostle Acts 17. 3. In the times of this Ignoraâ—…ce God winked at but now he Commands all men every where to repent And let no man despise my Speech in saying much knowledge and true Light is within these few years broken out if they shall I must answer them after the manner of Peter answering those scosfing Jewes in that then so much admired-at giving out of the Spirit Acts 2. 14 15. We are not Fannaticks or mad men as ye suppose in so saying but this is that which was spoken of by the Prophets Dan. 12. 4. Many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall encrease for saith the Prophet Haba 2.
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
be kept close to thee for when a mans wayes please the Lord he will make his Enemies to at Peace with him Prov. 16. 7. And think not to make thy self strong by forcing thy Subjects to forswear themseves in sweariug for thee lâ—…st he that Swore by himself when he could 〈◊〉 by no Greater stretch out his Sin-revenging hand against thee but rather say to thy Subjects as the Lord Christ saith to his Mat. 5. 34. Swear not at all And I being one of his Subjects this is one Reason O King why I told thee in plainness of speech that I cannot Swear for thee and because he farther requireth me thar I should love my Enemies and do good to them that hate me and pray for them that daspitefully use me Mat. 5. 44. This is another Reason O King why I cannot Fight for thee And I being a Branch in that Vine of which the Root and Off-spring of David is the Root and from whom onely I dayly through mercy receive sap vigour and fresh supplies of Grace for the strengthening and supporting of my inward man dare not have so much as a thought to Swear thee to be Supream of that Body of which Christ is the Head and because the Lord by his Prophet Jer. 18. 9. saith thus At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to Build and to Plant it if it do evil in my sight so that it obey not my voice then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I would Benefit it This is also another Reason O King why I cannot Swear nor Fight for thee for if thy Actings shall nor answer Gods End if his Word be true thou must then expect a removal and a pulling down and if I shall Swear or Fight to support thee when by thy Actings thou shalt cause God to pull thee down What is it less than for me to he found fightiâ—…g against God And besides A Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle to all 2 Tim. 2. 24. And by the way know That these Resolves were not intended to thy self only but also to those that were in Power after thy Father and before thee were these things manifested as by my Declaration in the End of this Book is evident Therefore O King if thou shalt seem to Counter-mand my Loyalty to him who bought me at so dear a price as the shedding of his own pretious Blood Acts 20. 28. I shall desire thee to Judge between me and my God and shall ask thee in the words of Peter and John Acts 4. 19. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto thee more than unto my God I shall desire thy self to be Judge And thus O King having I hope given thee a Rational account of my down-right and single-hearted Conclusion of my Epistle to thee Dedicated I shall now tell thee in the faithfulness of my Soul that by the Law of the same Law-giver I am bound not onely to pray for thee 1 Tim. 2. 2. but also to obey thee in all Civil things that are agreeable to the Mind of God revealed in his Scriptures of Truth and also to render Tribute Custome Fear and Honour both to thee as God hath set thee over us and to all others sent by thee Rom. 13. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Whose Obedience upon the word of a Christian without 〈◊〉 or Fighting either for or against thee God assisting he shall faithfully continue who resolveth unless for his iâ—…nocent Judgement thou either Deprive him of Life or Banish him this Land of his Nativity to remain till Death Thy Loyal Subject HENRY ADIS. A WORD to the READER READER THE Common Proverb goes That every Little makes a Mickle and the Kings TREASURIES being empty whilst the Parliament and City are throwing in their Rich Gifts I with the Poor Widow in the Gospel have cast in my MITE let the King take it how he pleaseth sure I am he will take it amiss if he take it not well for God is my Witness I intended it for good and so it will Prove if rightly improved and is of that worth that it may be said of it as our Saviour said of the Widows Mite It will Prove worth all not for the Quantity but for the Quality of it not for the Beauty but for the Blessedness not for the Eloquence but for the Excellency of it theirs being Material but this Supernatural theirs Perishing but this Permanent theirs onely to Feed Cloath and Pamper the Body but this to Nourish Strengthen and to Support the Soul Reader I was neither bred a Scholar nor a Courtier therefore thou must expect in it neither Complement nor Curiosity neither was I ever out of this Land of my Nativity therefore look not for any forreign Rarities but such only as are to be found in the Garden of God It is a Home-spun Piece wherein there is little Eloquence and less Flattery but store of down right honesty with abundance of Fidelity a Ponderous weight of the truest Love wrapt up in an homely Garment of the best Loyalty To be short it is that which I know must undergo many Censures if not my self severely Sentenced for it both by the Critical Church-man and the Carnal Church-member the Flattering Courtier and the Flouting Citizen the Learned Lawyer and the Illiterate Rustick but let them say what they will and do with It and Me what they please I much matter it not for in my Composing of it I had a good Conscience which sure I am in the midst of the worst of Miseries will be to me a Continual-Feast for I look upon it to be a part of my Generation work to speak a word in season to the Cherishing of Vertue and the bearing my Testimony against Vice as far as the Lord hath enabled me to the beating it down and so to be guilty of the blood of none but to have a Conscience alwayes void of offence both towards God and towards Man and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but to Reprove them Reader In fine it is a part of my Talent the which I dare not hide in a Napkin and seeing it cannot be permitted to be employed where it ought at mine own peril I dare not but Minister it where I may Therefore take and read it after which if thou find Benefit by it bless God for it and crave his assistance that thou mayest make a right use of it for it is his and mine no otherwise than from him through Mercy I have received it Neither do I so highly praise it for any thing that I have infused into it but for what through mercy I have been made partaker of by it by Divine assistance I have Composed it and the Shearcher of all hearts knows it is neither Pay nor Praise I aim at for my reward is with him But if the Glory of God the Well-being of his People
his Enemies but all in vain so long as he continues an Enemy to God by wicked works For at that time Ahaz sent to the Kings of Assyria to help him v. 16. To whom Ahaz gave gifts out of the Lords House and out of the Princes Houses but they helped him not v. 21. but distressed him v. 20. Whence we may further note That whilst men continue wicked their Blessings become Curses and their hoped for helps hindrances And thus whilst Ahaz is under the sin-revenging hand of God the saying of the Prophet Isaiah is in him made good Isaiah 1. 5. Why should ye be smitten any more ye will revolt yet more and more For with our first Parents in the Garden Gen. 3. 8. Ahaz runs surther from his God and returneth not to him that smote him And with the fierce dog earnestly snaps at the stone that is thrown at him little considering the hand that threw it And thus whilst men are quarrelling at second causes they loose both the Benefit and the Blessing of Gods chastising hand And therefore cannot with David that man after Gods own heart say as once he did Psal. 119. 67 71. It was good for him that he was afflicted for before he was afflicted he went astray but now saith he I have kept thy word Thus whilst David is making a Right improvement of Gods chastising hand upon him he is made sensible of Gods faithfulness towards him which causeth him thankfully to acknowledge the same and to say v. 57. I know O Lord that thy Judgements are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me He now sees the dealings of God herein towards him to be such as that he makes that Sanctified use of it as once Moses the servant of the Lord required of Israel Deut. 8. 5. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart that as a Father chasteneth his Son so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee And so saith our Apostle Heb. 12. 5 c. My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Men lie under the Chastising hand of God as Wax and Clay in the heat of the Sun whose heat so Mollifieth the Wax as that it becomes plyable and fit for the Impression of the Seal Whilst the Clay though before soft yet is thereby hardened made stiff and so brittle that it will rather break than in the least conform to the Seal And thus it fares with King Ahaz he grows worse and worse for in the time of this distress did he Trespass yet more and more saith the Text 2 Cor. 28. vers. 22. For he Sacrificed to the Gods of Damaskus which smote him and he said Because the Gods of the Kings of Syriah helped them Therefore will I Sacrifice to them that they may help me vers. 23. Thus whilst men forsake the true God they trust on them which by nature are no Gods And so become as senseless and as sottish as they For they that make them are like unto them And so are all they that put their trust in them Psal. 115. 8. And as if these mis-actings of his were not enough to make him and his People sufficiently Miserable he Crowns as it were all his former Evlls with this tripple Crown of Abominations First he cut in pieces the vessels of the Lords House Secondly he shut up the Doors of the Lords House And Thirdly he sets up a false worship in every Corner of Jerusalem to burn incense unto other Gods v. 24 25. Thus whilst men relinquish their knowledge of the true God they are given up to blindness of Eyes and hardness of Heart To commit all Abominations with greediness for so saith our Apostle Rom. 1. 28 29. And as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them up to a reprobate mind to do those things which were not convenient being filled with all unrighteousness c. And thus whilst Ahaz is committing sin with greedilness Ahaz is made partaker of its wages for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. And seeing Ahaz will thus forget God in his life time God at length will deprive him of a possibility of remembring him at all for in death there is no remembring of thee And who shall give thee Thanks in the Pit Psal. 6. 5. Ahaz being thus deprived of life Hezekiah now cometh to succeed his Father in the Crown and Government And seeing the several mis-actings of his Father and the sad Consequences that attended both him and his People thereupon is not willing to heir his Fathers punishments And therefore wlll not act in his Fathers sins but makes an evident Manifestation of his experimental knowledge of them and also of his utter Detestation to them together with a Publick Declaration of the intentions of his heart for a thorow Reformation throughout his whole Realm for he gathered the Priests and the Levites together into the Eaststreet Chap. 29. v. 4. and said v. 6. Our Fathers have trespassed and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the Habitation of the Lord and turned their backs v. 7. Also they have shut up the Doors of the Portch and put out the Lamps and have not burnt Incense nor offered burnt-offerings in the Holy Place unto the God of Israel Wherefore saith he v. 8. The Wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem and he hath delivered them to trouble to astonishment and to hissing as ye see with your eyes for saith he v. 9. Our Fathers have fallen by the Sword and our Sons and our Daughters and our Wives are in Captivity for this And now it is in mine heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away from us vers. 10. Therefore he calls upon the Levites and the Priests to be active in the Work and not to be negligent in the places God had set them in verse 11. A glorious Reformation is likely to succeed when a Prince not out of Custome but out of Conscience shall begin the Work and the more likely it is to prosper when his zeal thereunto shall thus cause him to provoke them who indeed should have first stirred him up to the Work And in this Reformarion the first work that he enters upon is the opening and Repairing the Door of the Lords House and to cause the Levites to sanctifie themselves and to sanctifie the House of God and to carry forth the filthiness out of the holy Place v. 3 4 5. the direct way to a happy Reformation and as ready a way to have with God a Reconciliation for if the iniquity of our holy things be not done away what will it avail us though we thrive never so well in our secular affairs for saith our Saviour Mat. 16. 26. For what is a man profited if he
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
those Nations without driving them out hastily neither delivered he them into the hands of Joshua V. 23. according to that of the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 7. That the Tryal of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire may be found unto Praise and Glory and Honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ A second Reason may be for the encrease of their Graces according to that saying of the Apostle James 1. 2 3. Knowing that the Tryal of our Faith worketh Patience and therefore the Apostle Paul did glory in Tribulations knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope saith he maketh not ashamed Rom. 5. 3 4. A third Reason may be because Troubles and Afflictions being rightly improved worketh good to a Soul to Eternity and so saith our Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light Affliction which are but for a Moment worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory whilst we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen they are Eternal And further God by these Actings keeps a Soul close to himself and thereby gives it opportunities continually either to Pray or to Praise him for Deliverances For this Invasion together with the abominable Blasphemies of Sennacherib drives Hezekiah to his God and so saith the Text For this cause Hezekiah the King and the Prophet Isaiah Prayed and cryed to Heaven vers. 20. Men that walk close with God in time of Prosperity can with boldness go to God in time of Adversity with an assured confidence of a gracious Answer Hezekiah and Isaiah no sooner Pray but Speed and another opportunity is now put into their hands to return again with Praises in their mouths to the Throne of Grace for the Lord sent an Angel to cut off all the Mighty men of Ualour and the Leaders and Captains in the Camp of the King of Assyria So he returned with shame of face to his own Land and when he was come into the House of his god they that came out of his own bowels slew him there with the Sword V. 21. Whence we may note That when Gods People cry to him there is no staying the raising an Army or Money or the Making or Providing Ammunion but when they are in a Suffering condition they dispatch a Messenger to Heaven in a moments time to the Captain of their Salvation who himself was made perfect through Sufferings Heb. 2. 10. And such a Messenger who can neither be stayed by the way nor his Message intercepted even the Spirit of Truth who will tell the truth of their Cause and help their Infirmities and express their Condition with groans that cannot be uttered and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit Rom. 8. 26 27. God is a free Agent and cannot be limitted to any means but acteth how when and which way he pleaseth For Hezekiah and Isaiah no sooner Pray but an Angel is as soon dispatched into the Camp of Sennacherib for are they not all Ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for those who shall be Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. 14. And this Angel destroyes his Mighty men Captains and men of Valour Hezekiah we see spake truth when he encouraged the People saying Be not dismayed at the King of Assyria for there is more with us than with him with him there is an Arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our Battels ver. 7. and 8. Happy it is then with the People of God when they can trust God for their Deliverance and observe that Word of Command from the Captain of their Salvation Mat. 24. 6. Then when they shall hear of Wars and rumours of Wars Nation against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom that then they be not troubled but can take that good Advice that once Moses gave to Israel of old Exod. 14. 13. Even to stand still and see the Salvation of God which he will work for them The Angel finisheth his work with speed which causeth Sennacherib with shame Confusion of face with speed to return into his own Land Whence we may note That whilst men depend upon an Arm of flesh upon every Defeat their spirits are more or less dejected whilst he that trusteth in the Lord is not afraid of evil Tidings for his heart is fixed Psal. 112. 7. When Sennacheribs confidence in which he trusted viz. His Great men his Captains and his men of Valour were brought down then Shame as a Vail begins to cover his face whilst the Righteous are bold as a Lyon and shall not be ashamed in the evil time Psal. 37. 19. An Arm of flesh will fail For all flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof as the Flower of the Field the Grass withereth and the Flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Surely the People is grass saith the Prophet Isaiah 40. 6. and 7. Therefore the People of God trust in their God because that in the Lord Jehovah is Everlasting strength Isaiah 26. vers. 4. The Text saith That Sâ—…nnacherib when he returned he went into the House of his god Now his god was one of the gods of the Heathens which had neither eyes to see not ears to hear hands to handle nor feet to walk and so uncapable of doing him good as that he could not give good Advice nor afford good Assistance neither to him nor to his People yet such is his Zeal notwithstanding his wickedness as that he must into the House of this his god Whence we may note That the worst of men generally are under some Form of Worship either to a false god or to the true God after a false manner in which usually they are very zealous although in other things desperately wicked Whence we may further note That it is not Zeal under any Form that makes that Form the true Form of Godliness but it is the special Appointment of God in his Word of Truth that is the onely and alone Way God will be worshipped in in which he requireth men to be zealous The Apostle Paul whilst he was in his unregenerate condition his Zeal led the way and marched in the Van whilst his Knowledge lay behind in the Rear which caused him so to make havock of the Church as he himself confesseth Phil. 3. 6. Gal. 1. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 9. And saith he Acts 26. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareâ—…h which thing I did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints did I shut up in Prison having received Authority from the Chief Priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them V. 10. And I punished them oft in every Synagogue and
Tongues also are now ready to declare that so others may partake of that Fellowship which they have with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ To conclude It is an Antidote of such a transcendent vertue that being rightly applyed according to the ensueing Direction it will translate a Creature out of the kingdom of darkeness into the kingdom of Gods dear Son and also cause him there with Enoch and Noah to walk with God O King Silver and Gold have I none but such as I have give I thee I give it thee freely dispose of it at thy pleasure for freely through mercy I received it it cost me nothing that was worth the keeping I parted not with so much as one Mite for it but that which for some time was my daily insupportable burthen which at length grew so ponderous that it weighed me down even to the very brink of Hell the Horrour whereof Darius-like caused me to forsake my meat and also my sleep to pass from me it being a Mountainous confused Lump of Iniquities Transgressions and Sins the fruits of my labours from my Cradle some forty years in the Devils slavery in which I was led captive by him at his will the parting with which was my great gaine not only by lightning my burthen but by an enlightning the eyes of my understanding to the beholding and laying hold on him who is invisible And thus O King through Grace I became a Fannatick or a mad man as some call me And now let me beg thee O King First Neither to slight the Gift for the meanness of the Giver nor the Potion because not compounded by the direction of a Colledge of Phisitians that have read many Authors but the rather esteem it because it is an experienced Receipt and because as the Physitians use to say Probatum est is engraven upon it And secondly let me beg thee O King to make use of it thy self for sure I am thou hast need of such an Antidote the whcih if thou dost I am confident I need not then beg a third Boon of thee to recommend it to thy great Family viz. to those that are under thy charge for that is one part of the excellent vertue that Souls are made partakers of that well digest it viz. that when they are Converted they will be provoked then to strengthen their Brethren And now O King I shall at present cease to ask more at thy Throne but shall apply my self to the Throne of Grace and there beg the Lord to give thee as much true joy in Reading as he in mercy gave me in writing it and that as he hath begun this good Work to put this Antidote into thy hand so he would perfect the same that he would sweeten it to thy taste and help thy disgestion and seeing he hath declared himself to be such an one that waiteth upon Souls that he might be gracious unto them that he would wait upon thee with the sweet incomings of his own Spirit and in special whilst thou art taking this Potion that he would visit thee with his loving kindness So as that it may effectually operate upon thee to the bringing forth the fruits thereof in thy Life and Conversation to the Honour and Glory of him who hath already done such great Things for thee into whose Care Direction and Protection he shall now commend thee who is and by his Assistance shall ever be Thy Loyal Subject to Pray but neither to Swear nor Fight for thee yet Faithfully to Obey thee in all things that God requires in his Scriptures of Truth who never did fight against any of thy Predecessors nor never shall resolve to fight against Thee nor any of Thy Successors HENRY ADIS. An After-Writing TO THE KING MArvel not O King at my single-hearted Conclusion in that I said I shall neither Swear nor Fight for Thee neither conclude me peremptorily Peevish nor factiously Rebellious because I am so plain But by the way know That in Conclusion Thou wilt find him to be Thy truest Friend that dealeth plainliest with Thee for one Dram of down right honesty is of more true worth than a whole Pound of fawning flattery for mine own part although I am by Trade an Upholdster yet know O King I come not to sow Pillows under thy Elbows I fear thou hast Artificial Work-men at that work already and too many too for thy future good but what I have received of the Lord in the singleness of my heart and in plainess of speech I declare unto Thee Take it as Thou wilt and do with me for it as Thou pleasest the meaning of it I yet understand uot but sure I am I have more than a common impulse to the Work however it will fare with me I matter not I both Hope and Pray it may prove of good use to Thee Therefore I shall beg Thee in Gods fear to consider seriously what Thou dost when Thou shalt force men to Swear for he that will Fight for Thee and he that will Swear for Thee being thereto constrained will be as ready if it stand with his own interest both to Swear and Fight against Thee for men generally make little Conscience of keeping constrained Vowes O King Thou hast been Tutored by Experience the best Master and I need not tell Thee that Coustraint and Restraint are two Exstreams and therefore dangerous to deal withal Voluntarily some there are but others being thereto forced have already to their hearts trouble Sworn against Thee And now if thou shalt again compel them to Swear for thee what is it less than to ravish their Consciences and to force them most abominably to forswear themselves A ready way to pull down Gods Judgements upon the Nation for so saith the Prophet Jer. 23. 10. For because of Swearing the Land mourneth So also saith another Prophet Hos. 10. 4. They have spoken Words Swearing falsly in making a Covenant Thus Judgement springeth up as Hemlock in the furrows of the Field And lest I be found guilty of such a heinous sin I shall resolve to trust a man upon his bare word rather than force him to Swear for he that for his own Benefit will not regard the keeping his word passed before God to Man will for his own advantage be as careless both of God and Man in slighting his unwilling Vow Therefore in this O King be perswaded to leave men to their Liberties and know that Englands Subjects will be sooner won by their Kings Kindness than brought under by his cruelty It is the Love of Christ that constrains his So let thy Lenity allure thine And be entreated to shake off all slavish carnal fear and cast thy care and burthen upon him who hath hitherto taken such care for thee Render thou but to him according to his Benefits bestowed upon thee and confident I am that the Keeper of Israel who neither slumbreth nor sleepeth will watch thy Subjects hearts So as that they shall
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
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
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