Smoothing and Defacing the Word of God, juft as the People would have them. So clofely were the People and the Prophets combined in Provoking God's Indignation against them, by putting the Highest Indignity and Contempt upon the Excellency and Authority of Divine Truth.

Under the laft Rule of Interpreting National Wickedness, which relates to the Approbation or Connivence of the Government, may be brought a Signal Inftance out of the Fifth Chapter of Jeremiah; wherein we find Miferies denounced against the Jews, under these Emphatical expreffions; Shall I not vifit for these things? faith the Lord: and Shall not my Soul be avenged on fuch a Nation as this? And 'tis a Principal Article in the Previous charge drawn against them, a Principal Reason of the Vifitation and Vengeance thus denounced, that they affembled themselves by Troops in the Harlots Houfes. And can there be a stronger Evidence than is here given, that a Kingdom, wherein the Spirit of Piety and Virtue is funk fo wretchedly Low,

24

Low, that it can Patiently fuffer the great Fences of Modesty to be Publickly thrown down, and Debauchery to make a Notorious Inrode into Troops and full Affemblies, is the Juft Object of Divine Vengeance, and muft either be Reformed, or expect to be Destroyed?

I fhall add but One inftance more, for the Proof and Illuftration of the First Propofition; but 'tis an Inftance, wherein all the Rules of Measuring and Determining National Wickednefs do feem to Center and Unite. And this Flaming Inftance is the Condemnation and Crucifixion of our Bleffed Saviour; concerning which 'tis to be observed, that as No Nation ever was, or can be Guilty of Wickedness Equal to it, fo no Na-' tion ever Fell under the Weight of Calamities, equal to Those which were the Confequence of it, * Great tribulation, fuch as was not, fince the beginning of the World to this Time; no, nor ever shall be.

To the Confideration of the Terrible Effects, which National Wickedness brings

*Matt. xxiv, 21.

upon

upon the Community, may be added the confideration of Thofe, which are derived from the fame Fountain upon the Prince himself. And these are obferva

ble under the

II. Propofition implied in the Text, namely, That the Wickedness of a People is a Juft caufe of the Sufferings of their Prince.

The Destruction, here denounced against the King, bears no Manner of Relation to his own Perfonal Qualities or Demeanour; but is represented as the Pure Effect, under God's Judgment, of Wickedness prevailing among the People. And the Reasons of fuch a Divine Difpenfation are not fo Obscure and Abftrufe, but that they may Eafily be recollected and fet in a clear Light; nor are the Principal ones fo many, but that they may be brought within a very Narrow Compass of Illustration. And a much Narrower Compass ftill would be fufficient to contain all Inftances of this Difpenfation, which are recorded in the History of the Jews. For, notwithstanding their Wonderful and Un

parallel'd

parallel'd Exceffes in Wickedness; the Sufferings and Destruction of their Kings may, Generally be accounted for, and very plainly too, without charging them the Sins of the People.

upon

The Cafe of King Jofiah indeed may here particularly demand our Notice; because it both feems, as a Proper Inftance, to Illuftrate the Propofition before us, and alfo to carry along with it a Plain Reason of the Divine difpenfation. The Virtues and Excellencies of this Prince are displayed, under a Multitude of Particulars, in the Hiftory of his Administration; and the Short Character given of him is this, That * like unto him was there no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his Soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; neither after him arofe there any like him. And yet this Prince, Virtuous and Pious, Accomplished and Adorned as he was, run into fuch Circumftances, under Providential permiffion, + if not under

2 Kings xxiii. 25. † See 2 Chron. xxxv. 21, 22.

fome

fome Stronger Effect of Providence, than pure Permiffion, that he fell by the

Hands of Enemies in Battle.

The Reason of this Event, appearing in the Hiftory, relates to the Sinful state of the Kingdom, whereby God was provoked to determine and declare, That his *Wrath should be kindled against it, and not be quenched, and that it Should become a Defolation and a Curfe. And after this Manifeftation of the Certain Vengeance decreed against the Sinful Kingdom, God is pleased thus to Express himself to Good Jofiah, I will gather thee unto thy Fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy Grave in Peace, (i. e. moft Probably, Before the Peace and Quiet of the Kingdom be followed by the Confufion and Defolation denounced against it; which Interpretation feems to be fuggefted in the next Words,) and thine Eye fhall not fee all the Evil, which I will bring upon this Place. And God, who seeing Future things as perfpicuoufly as Things prefent, and therefore fee

2 Kings xxii. 17, 19.