[3.] You shall surely know your own particular paths, wherein you ought to walk in serving God in your genera- tion. Those that wait upon him he will guide in judgment, he will not leave them in the dark, nor to distracted, di- vided, piercing thoughts. But whatever others do, you shall be guided into ways of peace : this you shall have when the lusts of men will neither let themselves, nor others be at quiet. Oh, then return to your rest, look to him from whom you have gone aslray ; take no more disturbing counsel with yourselves, or others ; renew your old frame of humble de- pendance on God, and earnest seeking his face ; you have certainly backslidden in this thing. Is not the Lord the God of counsel and wisdom, as well as the God of force and power, that you run to him when in a strait in your actions ; but when your counsels seem sometimes to be mixed with a spirit of difficulty and trouble, he is neglected? Only come with humble depending hearts, not every one to bring
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the devices, imaginations, opinions, prejudices, and lust of their own hearts before him.
(2.) For the troubles that arise from the lusts of other men, and that about the gospel, and the propagation thereof (the tumultuating of the lusts of men in reference where- unto I gave you an account of formerly), there are many piercing thoughts of heart. What extremes, I had almost said extravagancies, men have in this matter run out into, I shall now not insist upon : only I shall give you a few di- rections, for your own practice.
If once it comes to that, that you shall say, you have no- thing to do with religion as rulers of the nation, God will quickly manifest that he hath nothing to do with you as rulers of the nation. The great promise of Christ is, that in these latter days of the world he will lay the nations in a subserviency to him, the kingdoms of the world shall be- come his; that is, act as kingdoms and governments no longer against him, but for him. Surely those promises vi^ill scarcely be accomplished in bringing commonwealths of men professing his name, to be of Gallio's frame, to take care for none of those things : or as the Turk, in an absolute indifferency what any profess ; I mean, that are not his own, for in respect of them he changes not his God. Not that I would you should go and set up forms of government, to compel men to come under the line of them, or to thrust in your sword to cut the lesser diiferences of brethren : not that I think truth ever the more the truth, or to have any thing the more of authority upon the conscience, for having the stamp of your authority annexed to it, for its allowance to pass in these nations. Nor do I speak a word of what is, may, or may not be incumbent on you, in respect of the most profligate opposers of the truths of the gospel; but only this, that, not being such as are always learning, never coming to the knowledge of the truth, but being fully per- suaded in your own minds, certainly it is incumbent on you, to take care that the faith, which you have received, which was once delivered to the saints, in all the necessary con- cernments of it, may be protected, preserved, propagated to and among the people which God hath set you over. If a father, as a father, is bound to do what answers this in his family, unto his children ; a master, as a master, to his ser-
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500 Christ's kingdo:m and
vants ; if you will justify yourselves as fathers, or rulers of your country, you will find in your account this to be in- cumbent on you. Take heed of them that would temper clay and iron, things that will not mingle; that would com- pound carnal and fleshly things with heavenly things and spiritual, that they may not entangle your spirits. The great design of grasping temporal power, upon a spiritual ac- count, will prove at last to be the greatest badge of anti- ■christ. Hitherto God hath appeared against it, and will no doubt to the end; if either you, by the authority God hath given you in the world, shall take upon you to rule the house of God, as formerly such, as his house, though you rule the persons, whereof it is made up, or those who are, or pretend to be of that house, to rule the world on that ac- count, your day and theirs will be nigh at hand.
Now because you wait on God for direction in reference to the propagation of the gospel, and the preventing that which is contrary to sound doctrine and godliness, I shall
[1.] Shew you very briefly what God has promised con- cerning magistrates to this end.
[2.] Give you some principles whereon you may rest in your actings. And,
[3.] Lay down some rules for your direction : and so draw to a close.
[1.] Take in the first place what God hath promised con- cerning magistrates, kings, rulers, judges, and nations, and their subserviency to the church. What God hath pro- mised they shall do, that is their duty to do: he hath not measured out an inheritance for his people, out of the sins of other men. Let us a little view some of these promises, and then consider their application to the truth we have in hand, and what is cleared out unto us by them : there are many ; I shall instance in the most obvious and eminent. * I will restore their judges and priests and counsellors as at the beginning; Isa. i. 26. It is to Zion redeemed, purged, washed in the blood of Christ, that this promise is made. Isa. xlix. 7. 'Kings shall see and arise, and princes shall bow down themselves.' The Jews being for the greatest part of them rejected upon the coming of Christ, this pro- mise is made unto him upon his pouring out of the Spirit, for the bringing in of the Gentiles : as it is fartber enlarged.