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Show J679· ~ Part I. SeCt. 8. An AddrejJ to 'Pr~teflt~.ntJ. Vot. t fo Virttle gives Time to Kingdoms ; and as Vice brings Men betimes to their Grave, fo Nations to their Ruin. ll n· 'Tis the Rea!on given by God himfelf, for the De '"'"""of th~old World. We have th:lt Example before our Eyes; ~hat a whole. Wor14 has erifht for ir's Sin, it'.t Forgttfuhiifr .of God at~d tbttr f'!uty to btm; on~ Fa~ ~il only exapred. Gen. 6. That ts t~e Rcafon whtch. God renders for cading our rhe People of rhofe Countnes, that he gave mto.rhe Han~s ~f the Children of Ifrae/; they were full of U'!cleannefs~ Adulttrrer, Forme at I· on, and other Impieri~. And though _he tS Sovermgn_ Lord of the Wo.rld, and may difpofe of the Kingdoms therem, as pleafcth htm (for ~e th?t g.tves ke away. and he that builds can caft down; and Manktnd 1s but a ¥" t~t at w·ni to receive ot fUrr~nder at his Lord's Good Pleof~'re) yet he ufe~t not that Prerogative to ju~i~~ his Gift of thofe C?untues to the jews; hul at rhe End of his Prohtbmon of Unlawfu~ Marna_ges and L?fts, LeYit. 11. he charges them in thefe Words; drfi!e not jour Jeivu many oj tbefe Thmgs: 24, 2s, 26, for in all rhefe the Nations are defiled, wht:h I. caft our before Y?U; ilndtbe 28. ·Land if drfiled : therefore do I vi fit ~he Imquuy thereof U.Pon tt; 11nd tbe Land it Je/f, vomittt!J out ber Inhobztants. Te .[haU therejo~e k~ep my .Sta· rutcs and Judg1hents, and }hall not commit any of t.hefe ilbomuuuzan;, l!Cllhcr 1my of your own Nation, nor any Stranger, that fo;ourn,eth among yo11; fh.:z:t rbe Land fpue not ;ou out alfo, when ye defile tt, tU 1t {pued out 1he 1\alt-ons that were before you. . , . So Saul'.r Difobedience was his Defhu£hon, and hts Sm made Way f<?r David'r Title. Saul died (fJith the Smed St?ry) for ~il Tran~~e!Jion' ~hiS made the Philijlintt Conquerors; h1s own Stn beat htm and kt~ld htm. Saul died for his Tranfgreffion; then if he had not finned, he had.live~; .he ha~ beaten his Enemies and kept the Kingdom ? yes~ the Place tmphes tt. Thu then lhould deter Men, but Kings efpecially, who have fo m.uch to lofe h~re, and fo much to anfwer for hereafter. But what was Saul's Sm.? It was, Fuft, }.:or keeping bu1 difobeying the Word of the Lord, both _as It came by ~he Moutb of Samuel, God's Prophet, and as it fpoke the Mmd of God to htm in his' ow'" Confcience(for Mofe.r had faid before that the W~rd of God was nigh, in tbe Heart, and in God's Name commanded the Children of lfra~l to ob9 and do it.) In lhon, he refufed the UJunfel of God, and God for hts Counjellor: For in the next Place, he betlkes him~elf to one that had a f11· miliar Spirit for .Advice, faith the Story : Heenqmred not of IIJe Lord, there· fore be flew him an~ turned. ~be K~n~dom_ unto David .. There are to~ man;r People troubled wJth Famz!UJr Sp1r1ts; It were wel1, tf they were lef:, F_amzliar with rhem: H:1dSau/crufted in God, he needed not to h_ave been dnven to that Strait. He that was made King by God's Appomtment, _and en· dued with a Gooi Spirit, fo hafe!y to degenerate, as to run to a _WJtcb. fo_r Counfel, could not but rnifcarry. To this Darkuefs and Extrernuy Inzq11r· ty will bring Men : And trnly, a Wo follows all fuch Perfons; anfwerablc to rh:n Expreffion of God by the Prophet; Wo u_mo t_bem ~hat take('"'unfel, 1 Sam. t'i· and ntJt of tne. When Saul(faith the Place) was Iut~e 111 h1s own Eyes, God 17. ~onourd bim; be made him Head a11d Kill¥ of t~e ~rrbe.r f[Ifrael: But w~en Saul grew Proud, God deferted him, and for hts D1fobed1ence deftroyed ~1m. And whatbefel the Family of Saul, in fome After-Age.r befell both K!ngs and People, and worfe: For their Land was ~nvaded, firft bf the .IEg!prwns, then by the Cbaldeans and Bahy!onian.r: Tbeu Temple was nfled, ~heir Trea· fure taken, and their Kingr, Princes, Noble.r, ilrtificers, .a~d Alzgh~y Men 2 Kings 24• of Valour, yea all, fave the pooreft of the People, were ktll ~or c_arned awa! 14· Captive, by the King of Babylon. The Reafon rendred_ ts tins:. Be;aule the Kings did tbtlt n.Jbicb wtU· Evil in tfJ&Sight of God, andfli.ffne4 tlwr 1\eclu, and bard ned their Hearts from turning unto rbe Lord God of Urael; and be· 2 Chron. 36' caufe the Chief of the Prie{ls and of the People tranfgreifed. very much after •4- the Abominations of the Heathen. And when God fent hts Meffen&ers ,to reprove and warn them, and that out of h.is Great Campaj}ion, tl~ey wtcked· 1v mocked his Mcffengcr;, defpifed his Words, and rnif.ufed h 1S Prophett, till his Wratb came upon them, and over-threw them. 1 VoL. I. An Addrefs to 'Proteftanti: |
