Prophet speaks, as a thing already done, either in way of faith, or in part of sense, as begun to be executed: "Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath" (Amos ii. 9). Potent and mighty enemies, if they stand in the way of his people's mercies, God can pluck them up root and branch. When Pharaoh advanced himself against the people of God, God trod him down, and flung him into the bottom of the sea. So the Psalmist tells us, "Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings, &c.; all the kingdoms of Canaan, and gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people" (Psalm cxxxv. 10). God will show what respect he hath to his people; therefore, when he ariseth to avenge their quarrel, nothing shall be able to stand before him.

3. He will do so, tread them down all.

(1.) Because of his invariable justice: "God is one" (Gal. iii. 20); that is, one always consonant unto himself; what he hath done, he will do; his justice is the same that ever it was, and his power the same; and therefore in all his dispensations he is one; that is, ever like himself, is as ready to take vengeance of the insolences of men now as before, and keepeth a proportion in his proceedings: he is of one mind, and who can turn him?

(2.) Because of the suitableness between judgment and sin. They trample all that is holy and sacred under their feet, therefore God treadeth them under foot; they despise God, therefore are despised (1 Sam. ii. 30); they trample upon the grace of God in Christ, therefore are said to "tread the Son of God" under foot (Heb. x. 29). They trample upon the law of God: "I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because they have despised the law of the Lord" (Amos ii. 4). They trample upon all godly admonitions and reproofs: "Neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you" (Matt. vii. 6); and they trample the servants of God under foot, and make his saints bow down for them to go over (Isa. li. 23), and therefore are they themselves trodden under foot. They despise God, and therefore he despiseth them, and poureth contempt upon them; and the more they esteem themselves, of the less reckoning are they with God.

(3.) For the undeceiving the world, who usually look to sensible things. While their ways are prosperous, we make another manner of judgment upon them than we do when they are under contempt and disgrace: "We call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered" (Mal. iii. 15). We dote too much upon outward things, insomuch that things wicked, if prosperous, seem good and holy. Our affections bribe our judgments; and those things that we would otherwise loath, have a fair gloss and varnish put upon them. It is a mighty temptation, even to good men; and they begin to have other thoughts of things, when to appearance they are befriended by God's providence, and succeed beyond expectation. Therefore God will tread them down.

(4.) To undeceive sinners themselves, that are hardened by their own prosperity and success, and make God's providence and forbearing punishment to be an approbation of their actions against his law. So, "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will reprove thee" (Psalm 1. 21). God

may for a long time endure very horrible provocations without any act or mark of vengeance, till sinners flatter themselves that the things they do are pleasing to God; but they shall find they have erred, when they read their sins in their punishment: "Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law" (Mal. ii. 9). The great God aims at the repentance of men, both in his forbearance and punishment. In his forbearance: "Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth them to repentance (Rom. ii. 4). He is pleased to suffer them that offend him grievously, to taste the goodness of his providence, and have their turn in this world's fecility, to see if that will better them; if not, then he poureth contempt and shame upon them, that by his frowns he may further their conviction. When prosperity is a temptation, God will change the dispensation; and, instead of general favour and respect, they meet with shame and disestimation and disgrace. This is the punishment of those that are partial in his law. It is true, this is not to be taken singly without the foregoing provocation. It was the lot of Christ and his prophets and apostles to be disrespected in a wicked world, and such a trial may befall his faithful messengers. Yet, when this is the fruit of foregoing unfaithfulness, and men that had nothing to commend them to the world but their height and grandeur, that only had a testimony in men's carnal affections because of their greatness, and not a testimony in men's consciences because of their purity and holiness and good fruits (as good men have been in the consciences of those that hate them), it is to them a judgment. But however, when those that in the main are faithful, are by a righteous Providence exposed to ignominy and contempt, they ought the more to search their ways, and to see whether they have been throughout with God in the conscience of their duty to him, and whether some neglect and partiality of theirs hath not brought this judgment upon them.

(5.) To give a check to the insolency of men who abuse their power, and think they may do what they please when they have no hindrance and rub in the way: they do evil "because it is in the power of their hand" (Mic. ii. 1). Restraints of conscience prevail not with many, but only restraints of Providence. It is no thanks to them if they are not worse than they are; it is not because they want will, but because they want power. Therefore God cuts them short, and treads them down like mire.

USE I.-A warning to them that are in prosperity, that they do not carry it proudly against God, his ways, and people. God hath unhorsed many that have held their heads very high; therefore let none presume to do evil because they are high and exalted. There is foolish and mad confidence which wicked men have in their prosperity, as if they were above the reach of Providence, and therefore abuse their greatness to contempt and oppression. When men are up, they know nothing moderate. Former judgments upon the proud and disobedient, that contemn God, his people, and ways, should a little check them: God that hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts (Luke i. 51), can do it again, and will, when men will not take warning. As Nazianzen, when his heart was like to be corrupted and grow wanton with ease and prosperity, I thought (saith he) of reading the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and of the doleful condition of the church in former times. This means he took to reduce himself to a holy sobriety. This is the thing God aimed at in the ceremonial law in the thank-offerings, leavened bread was required, which was

allowed in no other sacrifice; thereby showing we should not so surfeit and run riot with our mercies, as to forget the bitterness of former afflictions, together with the causes of them.

USE II. Not to be dismayed at the prosperity of the wicked, so as to be troubled either about your persons or about the cause of God, or to cry up a confederacy with them that err from God's statutes when uppermost. Wicked men are here supposed to be in power, height, and pride of spirit; but God treadeth them down. And to be full of craft and subtilty, but their deceit is falsehood; that is, for all their might and subtilty, they are not able to resist God. David was shaken with this trial, when evil men were great and flourished in wealth and authority (Psalm lxxiii. 17); but how doth he settle his heart? "I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." When we look to the end of things, that will settle us; but, when we see God's work by halves, we miscarry: we make another judgment when we see God's work brought to perfection, than we did when we only saw the beginning of it. Therefore let us not be altogether dismayed, a little faith will help us against the temptations from sense. When the Lord shall have tried and humbled his people, then the cup is put into the hand of the wicked, and God will throw them down from the seat of their arrogancy, and trample upon them like dust. What should hinder? Cannot God do it? or will he not? Cannot he do it? Yes, very easily; poor earthen vessels that oppose him, they do but dash themselves against a rock, they do but break themselves in pieces; all attempts are nothing, God will laugh them to scorn. else will he not do it? Doth not he hate sin as much as before? or love his people as much as ever? What God punisheth in one, he punisheth in all, if repentance prevent not; he oweth them a shame, therefore will pour contempt and disgrace upon those that dishonour him (Psalm liii. 5). It might soon be known what will become of them, if you would but awaken faith; you may look upon it as a thing accomplished already, he shall tread down all iniquity under his feet (Mal. iv. 3).

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USE III. Observe the judgments upon those that err from God's statutes, that we may fear before the Lord, and believe in him, and learn to obey his statutes. David trembled to see Uzzah smitten (2 Sam. vi. 9); so should we, when God revenges the quarrel of any commandment. Examples of judgments are lively instances, and are apt to strike deep upon the heart. Therefore when we read or hear or see any of these, we should look upon it as a warning piece let off from Heaven, to warn us not to sin after the similitude of their transgression. God comes to speak to us in the language of sense; when we cannot understand by faith, he makes good his threatenings. The unbelieving Israelites were destroyed (Jude 5); Aaron's sons, for offering strange fire, were consumed (Lev. x.); Uzzah, for touching the ark; Lot's wife, for looking back, turned into a pillar of salt; therefore it is said, "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke xvii. 32). So in every age there are remarkable judgments, how God treads down those that err from his statutes; which should be observed, not to censure others, but for our own caution.

But now, because men are apt to misapply Providence by a malicious interpretation, and to make perverse judgments of the sins of others, I shall give you some rules how you may avoid censure on the one hand, yet not hinder profit on the other.

1. It is certain God's judgments upon others must be observed: "Go

ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel" (Jer. vii. 12); "Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hemath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms?" (Amos vi. 2.) It is stupidness not to take notice of God's hand. Providence is a comment upon the word of God, written many times in blood; and those that will not observe it shall feel it. "Remember Lot's wife:" one observeth upon those words, Lege historiam, ne fias historia; observe the instances of God's wrath upon others, lest thou be made an instance thyself. Sometimes God meets with this sinner, sometimes that, any that will go on in a way of sin and disobedience against God.

2. This observation must be to a good end; not to censure others, for that is malice; to speak even to the grief of those whom God hath wounded, this is condemned, as enemies did of the people of God in their affliction (Jer. 1. 7). Neither must we do it to justify ourselves; that is pride and self-conceit, condemned Luke xiii. 5: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish;" but for instruction, that we may fear for ourselves: "Surely [now] thou wilt fear me" (Zeph. iii. 7); and that we may be cautioned against the like sins, that we may see what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord (Jer. ii. 19), and that we may admire the Lord's mercy to us, that we are not set out as marks of his vengeance, that we are not in their condition (Amos vi. 2), that we may give to the Lord the glory of his mercy, justice, and truth. Take one place for all, Rom. xi. 22: there the Apostle doth sum up all these three, that we may not boast ourselves over others, that we may admire the justice of God, and mercy to us ward, and may learn to fear him, and walk cautiously and humbly with him, lest we contract the like judgment upon ourselves.

3. In making the observation, there must be care that we do not make Providence speak a language which it owneth not, the language of our fancies, and pry into God's counsels without warrant.

(1.) When you come to observe judgment, there must be a due reasoning from the provocation to the judgment, but not a contra, not judge of the wickedness of the person by the affliction of the person. The barbarians show little reason, and less charity, in misconstruing the passage of the viper fastening upon St. Paul's hand (Acts xxviii. 4). The foregoing provocation must be evident before we interpret the judgment. The dispensations of God's providence are common, and fall alike to good and bad (Eccl. ix. 2); God, by a sudden stroke, may take off the godly as well as the wicked. Good Eli broke his neck (1 Sam. iv. 18), and Josiah died in the army in the same manner that Ahab did, by an arrow in battle after he disguised himself (2 Chron. xxxv. 23); therefore do not reason from the stroke of God. Shimei misinterpreted David's afflictions: "Come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son" (2 Sam. xvi. 7, 8). Job's friends thought him a hypocrite, because God smote him with boils and sores. The best of God's children may suffer greatly from his hand; but the judgment must not make you conclude a sin, but the foregoing sin must make you interpret it to be a judgment.

(2.) When the sin is written upon the judgment, and there are some

remarkable circumstances wherein the sin and the judgment meet; as Adonibezek, as he served his vanquished enemies, so was he served himself, his thumbs and toes cut off (Judg. i. 7). God's retaliation is very notable. Many judgments have a signature upon them, as many herbs in nature have a signature to show for what use they serve: "As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy reward shall return upon thine own head" (Obad. 15). When God payeth men home in their own coin, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed" (Gen. ix. 6): it is not only a law, what ought to be done in justice; but a rule of Providence, what shall be done. Pharaoh was the author of the execution in drowning the Israelites' children: so Pharaoh and all his host, his nobility and men of war, were drowned in the sea. Ahab's blood was licked up by dogs in the place where they licked up the blood of Naboth. Jezebel was more guilty than he; Ahab permitted it, but Jezebel contrived it: Ahab humbled himself, therefore his body was buried; but Jezebel was entombed in the bellies of dogs. Haman was hanged on the gallows set up for Mordecai. Henry III. of France was killed in the same chamber where massacre was contrived. Charles IX. flowed with blood in his bed. Thus God will requite men in the same kind. His own people meet with this: Jacob supplanted his elder brother, and therefore the elder is brought to him instead of the younger. Asa put the Prophet in the stocks, and he is diseased in his feet. Joseph's brethren were not flexible to his request, afterwards when they were in extremity Joseph proves inexorable to them: "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us" (Gen. xlii. 21). How comes this into their minds? This was many years after the fact was committed; some twenty years, as they compute. So God deals with his children in like manner as they dealt with others, that their consciences may work the more kindly. The same is observed concerning David and Absalom: he took the wife of Uriah to be his wife, and Absalom took his wives before his eyes (2 Sam. xii. 10—12). St. Paul consented to the stoning of Stephen, and assisted in the execution; they laid down their garments at his feet: therefore afterwards Paul himself for preaching the Gospel is stoned and left for dead (Acts xiv. 19). Barnabas was not stoned, that assisted Paul; both were alike offensive to the men of Iconium in preaching the Gospel. Paul was sensible of this as a great part of his guilt (Acts xxii. 20); and his conscience works upon that. Many other instances might be given; but these are enough.

(3.) When judgments fall upon them in the very act of their provocation. Thus many are taken away by a violent death in the very heat of their drunkenness Zimri and Cozbi lost their lives in the very instant when they were unloading their lusts; and many times we see punishment treads upon the heels of sin.

(4.) When they are authors of their own destruction. Not only in such a sensible manner as Saul, Achitophel, and Judas, that murdered themselves; but thus, when men are given up to their headlong counsels, to break themselves: "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins" (Prov. v. 22). Wicked men are often whipped with their own rods. And, "In the net which they hid, is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion,