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streets of Jerusalem, &c. if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it.-Jer. v. 1.

When Jeremiah was taken with the rest of the Jews, God took care of him.--Jer. xxxix. 11, 12. 14. xl. 2, &c.

I will make a full end of all nations, whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee.-Jer. xlvi. 28. Levit. xxvi. 44, 45.

Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations, &c. Slay utterly old and young, &c. but come not near any man upon whom is the mark.Ezek. ix. 4-6.

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls only.Ezek. xiv. 14. 18. 20.

All ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment, &c. it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.-Zeph. ii. 3.

Hurt not the earth, &c. till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.-Rev. vii. 2, 3.

And it was commanded them, that they should not hurt, &c. but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.-Rev. ix. 4.

SECT. III. The Duties of the Righte

ous in such times of Distress. WHEN God had said he would not go up with Israel, but send his angel, because they had sinned: the people mourned, and no man did put on his ornaments.-Exod. xxxiii. 1, &c.

mands him to arise, and search out the sin, and remove the cause.-Josh. vii. 6-16.

Israel in all their distresses cried to the Lord, and he helped.--Judges iii. 9. iv. 3. vi. 7. x. 10-14. 1 Sam. xii. 9, 10. 2 Kings xix. 14—19.

If I shut up heaven, that there be no rain, &c. or if I send pestilence among my people: if my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.-2 Chron. vii. 13, 14. Deut. iv. 29, 30. xxx. 1, &c.

When Jerusalem was in distress, the princes and the king humbled themselves, &c. And God said, They have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them, but I will grant them, &c.-2 Chron. xii. 6, 7. xxxii. 26.

For a long season Israel had been without the true God, &c. but when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.-2 Chron. xv. 3, 4.

When Judah was beset by Israel, they cried unto the Lord.-2 Chron. xiii. 14.

So Asa cried, &c.-2 Chron. xiv. 11. Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast -2 Chron. xx. Ezra viii. 21-23. throughout all Judah, in such a case.

Nehemiah mourned, and wept, and fasted, when he had heard of the sad calamity of the Jews; and he prayed, &c. So did Jeremiah.-Neh. i. 3—5. ii. 2, 3. Lam. iii. 48, 49.

When the Jews were near destruction by Haman's means, &c. Mordecai and the Jews greatly mourned, fasted, wept, lay in sackcloth.-Esth. iv. 1-3. 16.

If they shall confess their iniquity, &c. if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: then will I remember my covenant The Psalmist makes complaint, and with Jacob, &c.-Levit. xxvi. 40-42. prays to God earnestly for the church When God's anger brake out against in great calamity.-Ps. lxxiv. lxxix. Israel, Moses prayed for them. lxxx. Numb. xi. 1, 2.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we When Israel fled before the men of sat down, yea, we wept, when we Ai, Joshua prayed, and God com- remembered Zion, &c. If I forget

Y

thee, O Jerusalem, let, &c.-Ps. cxxxvii. 1.4—6.

Despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. Prov. iii. 11, 12.

The people turneth not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.-Isa. ix. 13, 14.

I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, &c. And in that day did the Lord of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, &c. and behold joy, and gladness, slaying of oxen, &c. This iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts.Isa. xxii. 4. 12-14.

In the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee, &c. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, &c. until the indignation be overpast.-Isa. xxvi. 8. 12. 20, 21. Hezekiah spread Rabshakeh's letter before the Lord, and prayed unto the Lord, &c.-Isa. xxxvii. 14, &c.

There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast, &c. consumed us, &c.—Isa. lxiv. 7—10.

Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved: thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction, &c. They refused to return.-Jer. v. 3. ii. 30.

O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night, for the slain of the daughter of my people.— Jer. ix. 1.

My soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive.-Jer. xiii. 17.

In the great famine, Jeremiah confesseth the sin of the people, and prays and pleads with God for Israel at large. Jer. xiv.

will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Behold, I frame evil against you, &c. return ye now, every one from his evil way, &c.— Jer. xviii. 7, 8. 11.

God complaineth against Judah, that though they were destroyed, yet were they not humbled.-Jer. xliv. 6. 10.

The Lord blamed Baruch for seeking great things for himself in a day of affliction.-Jer. xlv. 5.

Arise, &c. pour out thine heart like water before the Lord: lift up thine hands toward him, for the life of thy young children, &c.—Lam. ii. 19, 20,

Let us search, and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord: let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.-Lam. iii. 40, 41.

Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.—Ezek. ix. 4.

I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.-Ezek. xxii. 30.

Daniel in the captivity confesseth, and prayeth.-Dan. ix. 3, &c.

Come, let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us. -Hosea vi. 1.

God calls upon Israel to sanctify a fast, and to cry unto the Lord.-Joel i. 13, 14. Zeph. ii. 1-3.

Turn ye even to me with all your hearts, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God, &c. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast.-Joel. ii. 12 -17. Deut. xxx. 1, &c.

Because I will do this, &c. prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.-Amos iv. 12.

At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull The prudent shall keeep silence in down, and to destroy it: if that na- that time: for it is an evil time, &c. tion, &c. turn from their evil way, I let judgment run down as waters, &c.

-Amos v. 13-15. 24. Micah vii. 5-7.

Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, &c. but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.-Amos vi, 1. 3. 6. Isa. lvii. 1.

The mariners called upon Jonah to pray, and inquired for what cause they were in danger.-Jonah i. 5, &c. The people of Nineveh upon a threatening, fast, pray, and turn from their evil way.-Jonah iii. 5, &c.

Though there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation. Hab. iii. 17-19.

Is this a time for you to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? now therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider (or set your heart upon) your ways.- Hag. i. 4,5.7. When ye fasted and mourned, did ye at all fast unto me? &c. Execute true judgment, &c.-Zech. vii. 5. 9, 10. Isa. lviii. 3-8.

When ye hear of wars, &c. be ye not troubled for such things must needs be.-Mark xiii. 7.

Jesus said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or, those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them; think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, nay: but except ye repent, &c.-Luke xiii. 1-5.

CHAP. XXII.

MAGISTRATES AND MAGISTRACY ARE THE ORDINANCE OF GOD.

SECT. I. That Magistracy is the Ordinance of God: that by him are Magistrates advanced to offices, &c. The Titles given them.

THE kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the governor among the nations. Ps. xxii. 28. Dan. iv. 17. John iii. 27. xix. 11.

Against all the gods (or princes) of Egypt, I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.-Exod. xii. 12.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy of the elders of Israel, &c. and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them: and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, &c.-Numb. xi. 16, 17. 25.

Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people.-Deut. xvi. 18.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory.-1 Sam. ii. 8.

When the people asked a king, the Lord said unto Samuel, &c. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign. over them.-1 Sam. viii. 5-7. x. 18, 19. xii. 12. 17-20.

Saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth.-Ezra i. 2.

The kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins; also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, &c.-Neh. ix. 37.

Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, &c. but God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.-Ps. lxxv. 6,7.

God, &c. judgeth among the gods, &c. I have said, Ye are gods, &c.Ps. lxxxii. 1. 6.

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice: by me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.--Prov. viii. 15, 16.

For the transgression of a land, many are the princes thereof.-Prov. xxviii. 2.

In that day shall the Lord of hosts be, &c. for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment. - Isa. xxviii. 5, 6.

I have made the earth, &c. and have given it unto whom it seemeth meet

unto me. And now have I given, &c. to Nebuchadnezzar.--Jer. xxvii. 5-7. Blessed be the name of God, &c. he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings and setteth up kings, &c. For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory, &c. he is a God of gods, and Lord of lords.--Dan. ii. 20, 21. 37, 38. 47.

To the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men, &c. And they shall drive thee from men, &c. until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.— Dan. iv. 17. 32.

O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour; and for the majesty that he gave him, all people, &c. trembled, &c.-Dan. v. 18, 19. ii. 37, 38.

I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.Hosea xiii. 11.

There is no power but of God, the powers that be, are ordained (or ordered) of God: whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. Rulers are not a terror, &c. for he is the minister of God to thee for good.-Rom. xiii. 1-4.

SECT. II. What they are in the sight

of God, and considered as Men. AGAINST all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.— Exod. xii. 12.

unto man, &c. in so doing, my Maker, &c.—Job xxxii. 21, 22.

Accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of his hands: in a moment shall they die.-Job xxxiv. 18-20.

Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth: serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling: kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled.-Ps. ii. 10-12.

He shall cut off the spirit of princes: and is terrible to the kings of the earth.-Ps. lxxvi. 12.

I have said ye are gods, &c. but ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. --Ps. lxxxii. 6, 7.

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord: as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he will.Prov. xxi. 1.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice, &c. he that is higher than the highest, regardeth, and there be higher than they.-Eccles. v. 8.

The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes, &c.-Isa. iii. 14.

Ye scornful men, that rule this people, &c. because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, &c. thus saith the Lord, &c. Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, &c. when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then shall ye be trodden down by it.-Isa. xxviii. 14 —16. 18.

He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, &c. that bringeth the princes of the earth to nothing: he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.Isa. xl. 22, 23.

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools: he looseth the bonds of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle: he leadeth princes away spoiled, and Say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus overthroweth the mighty, &c. he saith the Lord God; Because thine poureth contempt upon princes, and heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, weakeneth the strength of the mighty. I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, -Job xii. 17-21. Ps. cvii. 40. &c. yet thou art a man, and not God: Let me not accept any man's though thou set thine heart as the person, neither give flattering titles heart of God &c. therefore, thus saith

the Lord God, &c. I will bring and I will make them rulers over you, strangers upon thee, &c. and they &c. And I charged your judges at shall bring thee down to the pit, and that time, saying, Hear the causes thou shalt die the deaths of them, &c. but thou shalt be a man and no god, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. -Ezek. xxviii. 2. 6-9.

Nebuchadnezzar the king, in the height of his pride, driven out among the beasts. Dan. iv. 30-33. There is no respect of persons with God.-Rom. ii. 11.

The spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, to gather them, &c. Rev. xvi. 13-16.

between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him: ye shall not respect persons in judgment: but you shall hear the small as well as the great: you shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's; and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, &c.-Deut. i. 13. 15-17.

The Lord your God is God of gods, &c. which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward; he doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow.

The kings of the earth committed fornication with the great whore.--Deut. x. 17, 18. Rev. xvii. 1, 2.

wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind your eyes, &c. that which is altogether just shalt thou follow.-Deut. xvi. 18. 20.

Judges and officers shalt thou make, &c. and they shall judge the people SECT. III. What are the Duties of with just judgment: thou shalt not Magistrates: and what they should be negatively, and affirmatively. ICONSIDERED all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold the tears of them who were oppressed, and they had no comforters: and on the side of the oppressors there was power: but they had no comforter.-Eccles. iv. 1.

Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers. -Exod. xviii. 21.

Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the poor in his cause, &c. and thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, &c.-Exod. xxiii. 6. 8. Deut. xvi. 19.

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness thou shalt judge thy neighbour. Levit. xix. 15. Prov. xxxi. 9.

Moses, when the people had sinned, prayed earnestly for them, &c.Numb. xiv. 13, &c. Deut. ix. 25, &c. Josh. vii. 7, &c.

Take ye wise men and understanding, and known among your tribes,

Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother; but he shall not multiply horses to himself, &c. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, &c. and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law, &c. that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment.Deut. xvii. 15, &c. Josh. i. 8.

If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.-Deut. xxv. 1. Prov. xvii. 15.

Samuel's sons walked not in his ways: but turned aside after lucre,

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