Sins, found in it, may be properly efteemed National Sins. And Then may Particular Sins be accounted National, and therefore the Caufes of National Mifery, Either, when they have the Direct Sanction of Publick Authority; Or, when They are Unanimously espoused and embraced by the Society, though they have no Formal Sanction from Publick Authority; Or, when the Contagion and Prevalence of Them amongst the People is become General, though not ftrictly Univerfal; Or, when the Occafions and Circumftances of them are fo Confpicuous and Flagrant, that their Rise, or Progrefs, or Continuance may be properly imputed to the Concurrence, or Approbation, or Connivence of the State.

Under the First of these Obfervations may be ranged the Description and the Decifion of Jeremiah's Cafe, in the xxvith Chapter of his Prophecy. This Holy Man, fixed by the Spirit of God in an Elevation of Soul, far above the Reach or Influence of all Worldly Hopes and Fears, being Faithful to God, and Faithful to his Country, in the Discharge of his Du

ty,

ty, Honestly and Plainly denounced, as God required him, that if his Country would not be obedient, it must be A Curfe,, and Defolate without Inhabitant; Whereupon, the People and the Priests and the Prophets took fo Unjuft and Unhappy a Turn of Thought, were fo Incensed by this Meffage from Heaven, instead of being Obfequious to it, that they Immedi· ately Apprehended the Messenger of God, and faid unto him, Thou shalt furely die. Upon this Occafion the Princes were affembled, and ftrenuous Application was made to Them, that he fhould be condemned to Death. But when the Profecution was fo far advanced, the Prophet Afferted his Divine Miffion, and under the Direction of the Holy Spirit, made an open Declaration, that, if the Government should decree his Death, the Ruin of the Government it felf must be the inevitable Confequence of that Decree; As for me, behold I am in your hand: do with me, as feemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye fball furely.bring innocent blood upon your felves, and upon this city, and

1

Z 2

upon

upon the Inhabitants thereof. And the Princes and People, more Regardful of Religion, than the Falfe, Soothing Priests and Prophets, acquitted Jeremiah, and faved the Community from the Imputation of National Guilt, and the Infliction of National Punishment.

To the Next of these Rules of Interpreting National Sins may be Reduced that Memorable Inftance of Murmuring, which prevailed amongst the Ifraelites, * about the matter of Korah. For when Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and two hundred and fifty Princes of the Affembly, famous in the congregation, men of Renown, had most Infolently Opposed and Violated God's Pofitive Inftitutions of Sacred Things, and not only Perished in the Attempt, but Perished under the most Astonishing Circumstances of Death; This Great Event was fo far from making Useful and Lasting Impreffions upon the People, that, the very Next day, they adventured to Joyn, with Univerfal confent, in Expreffing an Angry Refentment

*Numb. xvi.

of

of fo Manifeft and Extraordinary a Judgment; and, for this Provocation, God Immediately fent a Plague amongst them.

To the Rule of interpreting National Sins, by the General Prevalence of them, are Reducible all those Paffages in the fifth Chapter of Ifaiah, and other places of Holy Scripture, where the Sins of Oppreffion, Perverting of Judgment, Covetoufnefs, Bribery, Drunkenness, and Luxury, are affigned as Genuine Caufes of great Tribulations falling upon the Jews. And in this Clafs may also be found thofe Corruptions of God's Holy Word, which are charged, in Different Refpects, both upon the People and Prophets, and given in amongst the chief Reasons of Publick Calamity. Thus are the * People warmly accused, and Keen are the Menaces annex'd to this Accufation, This is a Rebellious People, lying Children, Children that will not hear the Law of the Lord; which fay to the Seers, fee not; and to the Prophets prophesy not unto us right Things, Speak unto us fmooth

* Ifa. xxx. 8, &c.

Things,

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Things, prophefy Deceits. The People were so far from believing stedfastly and Acquiefcing intirely, as they ought to have believed and Acquiefced in Divine Truth, that they were Uneafy under the very Representations of it; and that Uneafiness grew up into an utter Averfion to it; and that Averfion became so strong in them, that they Infifted upon having it intirely Concealed from them, or at least Misrepresented to them, and Deceitfully Smooth'd over, and Adapted to their Vitiated Palates, that it might Ruffle them no more, nor give them any further Distaste or Disturbance. And the Unfaithfulness of the Prophets was equal to the Impiety of the People. For

they are in various Texts defcrib'd as Inexcufably Violating their Duty, and Ingratiating themselves with the State, for their own Temporal Advantage, by uttering Lies and Deceit, and by concealing Necessary Truths, and by Distorting, Colouring and Difguifing, Softening,

Comp. Jer. v. 31. Ch. xiv. 14, 15, 16, 17. xxiii. 14, 15, &c. xxvii. 9, 18. xxviii. Ezek. xxii. 25-28.

Smoothing