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SERMON L.

Before the COURT of TINWALD, 1728.

THE SUPPRESSION OF VICE AND IMPIETY, THE DUTY OF ALL PERSONS IN AUTHORITY.

GẸN. vi. 1, 2, 3, 7.

AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN MEN BEGAN TO MULTIPLY ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, AND DAUGHTERS WERE BORN UNTO THEM, THAT THE SONS OF GOD SAW THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN, THAT THEY WERE FAIR: AND THEY TOOK THEM WIVES OF ALL WHICH THEY CHOSE. AND THE LORD SAID, MY SPIRIT SHALL NOT ALWAYS STRIVE WITH MAN.-AND THE LORD SAID, I WILL DESTROY MAN WHOM I HAVE CREATED, FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH,a

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'HIS text will be better understood, and will have no difficulty in it, when it is. read according to the most ancient verfions and paraphrases, which thus render or explain the Hebrew:-And it came to pass, when men began to multiply upon the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them; that the fons of the fovereigns (who in holy fcripture are called gods) feeing the daughters of the inferior fort, that they were fair, they took them by force, and

a See Matth. v. 13. Mark xiii. 14. Luke xvii. 27. 2 Chron. xv. 1, 2, 3. xvii. 8, 9, 10. Pf. xii. 1. Ezek. xxii. 25, 26, 27, 30. and xxxiii. Jer. v. I. Hofea iv. Wifd. v. 23.

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ravifhed them at their pleafure; which thing was fo provoking in the fight of God, that he declares [ver. 7.] I will deftroy man whom I bave created from the face of the earth; which accordingly he did by the flood.

Why was God fo provoked with these fins, and these finners, above all others?-There must be something very fingular, and very provoking, which could draw down so amazing, and fo general a judgment upon the whole race of mankind. And the reason was plainly this, the utter improbability that ever there would be a reformation, that ever the world would mend; fince they that were in power, and in the place of God, and whofe duty it was to restrain and punish wickedness, were the very perfons who promoted vice, by fuffering it to go unpunished in their own children and families, or by their own evil examples gave countenance to it; fo that there was no way left to cure the evil, but by destroying the finners.

And that this was the very cause of so univerfal a judgment, is plain from other instances of divine vengeance recorded in facred fcripture, which was then executed, when wickednefs became fo univerfal that there were none to punish or to restrain it.

This was the cafe of Sodom and the neighbouring cities; they were deftroyed by fire from heaven: and that pofterity might not be ignorant of the cause of fo terrible a judg

ment,

ment, the scripture is fo particular as to inform us, [Gen. xix. 5.] that all the people both old and young, that is, both fathers and their children, both magiftrates and the common people, were gathered together from every quarter, to commit a fin abominable to be named.

This is plain from God's own declaration, [chap. xviii. 32.] If there be found TEN RIGHTEOUS PERSONS amongst them; that is, if there be any amongst them who will execute justice and judgment upon the wicked, fo that there may be any poffibility of a reformation, I will not deftroy them, I will spare the whole for their fakes.

There was indeed one, and but one, who had the heart or the courage to reprove them; but he wanted power to restrain them; and the people plainly told him fo: This one fellow came to fojourn amongst us, and he will needs be a a judge; that is, he will take upon him to reprove, and to reftrain us; now will we deal worfe with thee than with them.

Now, here being no poffibility of a reformation, when they who fhould have put à ftop to the wickedness were at the head of those that committed it; Almighty God interpofed his power, and utterly destroyed them by fire from heaven.

The fcripture faith exprefsly of the people of Laish: that there was no magiftrate to put Gen. xix. 9. * Judges xviii. 7.

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any man to fhame in any thing. And the very next thing we hear of them is, that they were utterly, every foul of them, deftroyed.

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Another inftance we have in the ruin of the whole tribe of Benjamin, except a very few men. There had been a most abominable fin committed by fome fons of Belial; the rest of the tribes defired that those men might be punished as they deserved, fo that God's judgments might be turned away from the whole land. This righteous demand was denied; and they that should have punished them took part with them. And the confequence was, they became partners with them in their utter deftruction, which foon after followed.

And to add no more inftances-this one declaration of God by his prophet, fhews plainly, what are the true caufes of general judgments upon any land.

God, for the fins of the Jews, had resolved to fend them into captivity; and to shew them the cause of their approaching mifery, he bids the prophet Jeremiah, [chap. v. 1.] See now and know, if there be any that executeth judgment, that feeketh the truth, and I will pardon them. It seems there were none fuch to be found, and their calamity and captivity very foon followed.

And as the negligence or wickedness of thofe in authority did, in these and many other inftances, provoke God to pour down his judgments; fo has the zeal of magiftrates,

Judges xix. 20.

either

either in punishing offenders, or in bringing men to repentance, faved whole nations from deftruction. Thus we have it, Then flood up Phineas, and executed judgment, and fo the plague was flayed.

And when God had fully determined, and within a limited time, to destroy the city of Nineveh, he was prevailed on to defer the execution of that judgment, by the king's proclamation, That every one should turn from his evil way; the king himself setting them the good example, covering himself with fackcloth, fitting in afbes, and crying mightily to God.s

This would now be made a jest of, and even by fome who call themfelves Chriftians. A king in fackcloth and afhes! Yes, any thing rather than the vengeance of God upon his kingdom, than provoke him who can destroy both body and foul in hell.

But to proceed:-The very condition of king Solomon's profperity, and of the continuance of the crown in his family, was this: If thou wilt execute my judgments, then will 1 perform my word which I fpake unto David thy father."

And the only fecurity which the people of God had for the continuance of his protection and bleffing, was the often-repeated condition, If thou put away evil from among you. This was their, and this is our, beft and only fecurity.

Pfalm cvi. 30.

Jonah i. 6.

1 Kings vi. 12. From

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