4. If they are supported by the prayer of a chosen people, who seek their welfare, not for their own interest and advantage, but for the advantage of the gospel and the ways of Christ, by them asserted. If God's own people pray for them in authority, that under them they may enjoy some share of their own, and obtain some ends suited to any carnal interest of theirs, God will reject those prayers. But when they seek their welfare, because it is discovered to them that in their peace the gospel shall have peace and prosperity ; surely the Lord will not cast out their prayers, nor shame the face of his poor supplicants.
5. If in sincerity, and with courage and zeal, they fulfil the work of their magistracy, in the administration of righteous judgment; especially in those great and unusual acts of justice, in breaking the jaws of the wicked and terrible, and delivering the spoil out of the teeth of the mighty, Job xxix. 17. Innumerable are the demonstra- tions of God's owning such persons.
6. If they have not the qualifications of that power which in these latter days God hath promised to destroy. Now these are two ; I will but name them unto you. First, Drinking the cup of fornica- tion that is in the hand of the harlot; that is, practising any false
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worship and forms invented besides the word. Secondly, Giving their power to the beast, or engaging in any ways of persecution against any of the ways of God, or his saints in those ways. That the Lord is about to shake, break, and destroy all such powers as these, I did not long since, by his assistance, here demonstrate.
And so have I completed my instances that they who engage against such an authority as is attended with these qualifications, en- gage against the Lord. I could also give other instances, in other ways and institutions of God; but I chose these as most accommo- dated to the season. If now I should tell you, that, notwithstanding all clamours to the contrary, these things, for the main, are found in your assemblies, thousands in the world would (yet I hope your own consciences would not) return the lie for so saying. But yet, though the Lord seems to bear witness to some integrity in his late dispen- sations, I shall only pray that what is wanting may be supplied ; — that you may never want the like protection in the like distress.
Come we now briefly to the reasons why those who oppose such authority shall not succeed. And it were an easy labour to multiply reasons hereof. The sovereignty, the power, all the attributes of God would furnish us with arguments. I shall omit them all ; [and] only touch upon two that are couched in the text.
They shall have no better issue, because, — (1.) The Lord will take away their stout hearts, whereby they are supported ; (2.) He will take away their strong hands, whereby they are confirmed : and when hearts and hands are gone, they also are gone.
(1.) He will take away their stout hearts, that they shall no more be able to carry them out to any success in their great undertakings. He will break that wheel at the very fountain, that it shall no more be the spring of their proceedings.
Now, this the Lord usually doth one or more of these four ways : — [1.] He fills them with fury and madness; so taking away their order. [2.] He fills them with folly and giddiness ; so taking away their counsel. [3.] He fills them with terror and amazement; so depriving them of their courage. Or, [4.] with contrition and hu- mility; so changing their spirits: —
[l.J He fills them with fury and madness, taking away their order, which is the tie and cement of all societies, in all undertakings. " ' Though all the people of the earth,' saith the Lord, ' be gathered together against Jerusalem/ they shall not prosper." And why so ? " I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness," Zech. xii. 4. Madmen have often great strength, and with it great fury ; but know not how to use it, except to their own ruin : when they think to do the greatest mischief, they cut and gash themselves. Thus the Lord threateneth those who in outward pro-
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fession are his own people, when they walk contrary to him : " The Lord shall smite thee with madness of heart, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways," Deut. xxviii. 28, 29. Because smitten with madness, therefore they shall not prosper. This is that untameable fury whereby men are carried out to sinful, destructive enterprises, as the horse rushes into the battle; — a judgment which some men vocally, as well as actually, at this day proclaim to be upon their spirits. They cry their blood boils, and their hearts rage for revenge ; reviling those in authority, whereby to foment, Acts xix. Hence they stir up men for the engaging in such designs as, if accomplished, in the judgment of all men not mad like themselves, would certainly prove ruinous to themselves and others. And in this frame they delight, of it they boast ; not once considering that it is a badge and character of men whom God will disappoint and destroy in their proceedings; it being nothing but the working of that evil spirit which came upon Saul, stirring him up to rage and fury, when once the meek, calming Spirit of the Lord departed from him. -