^ ' Metuendum erit ne qui magistratu connivente res novas in ecclesia moliri cccperint, eodem etiam repugnante, cum occasio ferat, idem quoque in republica molian- tur.' — Theol. Mag. Brit, sub fine, Sent, de 5 Art. in Hist, Syn. Dor.
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fore, now, if you would take away the cause of ruin, and redress the disorders of the commonwealth, repair the decays of religion, do what you can to restore that to its former power and efficacy.
Reason 2. Because, by outward success, God will visibly declare his delight in such eminent works as these are, and therefore setteth his heart to bless and prosper such a people, who set their hearts to repair decayed religion. And God doth it the rather, partly because of the prejudice that is upon godliness; as men cast most honour upon the parts most uncomely, so doth God most blessing and comfort upon a despised grace. Men accuse it as the only makebate, and in the world's eye it is the cause of want, and sword, and famine, Jer. xliv. 18 ; and therefore God attesteth and witnesseth from heaven that it is the only pledge of a blessing; the more we are prejudiced, the more free is God in honouring it ; and partly because of his own delight in it ; it is a grace that giveth all to God, and therefore God doth all for it. He dealeth with it as Caleb with his dear daughter Achsah ; he giveth her the upper and the nether springs, Josh. xv. 19, the blessings of this life and that to come, 1 Tim. iv. 8 ; for as all the motions and tendencies of godliness are to exalt God, so all God's aims and dis- jiensations are to exalt godliness, and therefore is it that we do so often hear of a blessing upon all endeavours, especially such as are eminent and public, that look that way : see Hag. ii. 19, ' From this day forward will I bless you ; ' that is, from the day that they took care of the temple, God would have them observe if their hopes and happiness did not thrive from that day forward. So 2 Chron. vii. 11, 'All that came into Solomon's heart to make in his own house, and the house of the Lord, he prosperously effected.' Those two cares thrive the better for one another ; the Lord's house made him prosper the better in building his own, for God is resolutely engaged to let the world know what shall be done to the grace which he will honour. So see Isa. iv. 4, ' Upon the glory there shall be a defence.' By the glory is meant the church reformed or made more holy, for that is the excellency and glory of it ; God and his people being both ' glorious in holiness.' Compare Exod. xv. 9, with Eph. v. 27. Now upon this glory there will be a covering or defensive shelter, as there was of badgers' skins over the glory of the tabernacle.
Reason 3. Because this is the straightest and most direct way to safety. In all other policies there are a great many serpentine windings and intricacies, whereby the event is not half so sure and easy. In desperate cases it is best to take the ready way ; and that is, the repairing of religion. It is ill when religion is but policy ; but it is as it should be when our policy is religion. Though the troubles are by men, yet our work doth not so much lie with man as with God. We begin at the right end, when we begin with him ; for by making God a friend you may the better get in with men. To set on this reason, take a few considerations.
1. Without God men can do you no good ; dependence on the Lord is the best security, and the surest policy is trusting God rather than men. They are weak and faithless, and so will fail you when there is most need. The people are unstable as waters, and their respects are dispensed with much uncertainty : to-day they cry up.
422 England's spiritual languishing. [Eev. III. 2.
and to-moiTOw tliey cry clown things ; to secure themselves they will desert those that have done them most good : as the Keilites were ready to give up David after he had delivered them, as soon as Saul had any force in Israel, 1 Sam. xxiii. 11. If they keep true, their power to help may be gone. God kindleth courage and quencheth it at pleasure : Ezek. vii. 14, ' They have blown the trumpet to make all ready, but none goeth to the battle, for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof,' There were great preparations, but their hearts failed them. Truly there is nothing preserveth states so much as God's power over the spirits of men, and nothing which you ought to regard and heed so much as that. Bodies without hearts are a disadvantage, and their hearts are in God's hands. All outward strength and support lieth in the movable respects of the people ; for so they are in themselves, it is God only that can fix and make them sure.
2. With God men can do you no harm ; he is with them that are careful to establish and set up his worship, and then they need not care who are against them: see 2 Chron. xxviii. There is a story of Sennacherib's coming up against Jerusalem in the first verse ; the time is specially noted : ' After these things and the establishment thereof;' that is, after Hezekiah had established the worship of God, which circumstance is mentioned chiefly to note the occasion of Heze- kiah's confidence ; for see how he disvalues him upon this : ver. 8, ' With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God.' W^hen ye are thus for God, God will be with you, and then what is dust to the wind, briars and thorns to a devouring burning, an arm of flesh to the Lord our God ? All the discouragements of the creature come from these things : want of care to get interest in God, and want of skill to improve it. Your grand design should be to get God with you, and truly then you may slight the most daring attempts : Isa. viii. 9, 10, ' Associate yourselves, 0 ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces ; and give ear, all ye of far countries : gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces, gird yourselves and ye shall be broken in pieces : take counsel together and it shall come to nought. Speak the word and it shall not stand, for God is with us.' In a triumph of faith the prophet laugheth at their vain attempts. He challengeth not only single adversaries that might sooner be dissipated, but such as. were strengthened by a combination of interests, and twisted into a league and association, but all will not do. ' Ye shall be broken in pieces.' Again he speaketh to them. Call in more strength, come with advised care, yet ye shall be broken to pieces. If you will adventure once more, and try the other fifty, as that wretched king did, 2 Kings 1, and see if heaven will smile on a third endeavour, yet still the event shall be the same, ' Ye shall be broken in pieces.' He addeth again, ' Take counsel together ;' that is, recollect yourselveS; summon your best wits, that you may know wherein you have failed, and play your game the more wisely the next time ; yet, saith the prophet, it shall come to nought. Your deliberate and mature consultations shall have the same event with your rash and heady enterprises ; that is, all shall be disappointed. The prophet goeth on, ' speak the word, and it shall not stand;' that is, when you have prepared the business, so that you