The Beautify of Magistracy, Part 4

The Beautify of Magistracy · Part 4

p. 124VERSE 5.

They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in the darkness; All the foundations of the earth are out of course.

THis Verse is a kind of Parenthesis, and contains the Lords Pathetical complaint of that ignorance, stupidity and obstinacy which he found in the Judges of those times; together with the sad effects of it in the Common-wealth; The foundations of the earth were out of course.

In this Verse the person is changed; God speaks not here to the Magistrates themselves, as he did Verse 2. He sayes not, Ye do not know, ye do not understand; but as one troubled in mind, and mourning within himself to see their desperate malice, and the confusions that attended it, he cryes out,Lo Jadegnu, N…n cognoverunt. Praeterit in Kal. They have not known, they have no understanding, i. e. they do not know nor understand. It is frequent in that language to put the Praeterperfect Tense for the Present Tense; as Psalm 1. 1. Blessed is the man who hath not walked, i. e. who doth not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. It notes a continued act, and implies their perseverance in ignorance;Prae…erita … propraesen…e & not ant actum …. Piscator. q. d. But what do I mean? Why go I about to make a blackmore white? Tis in vain to reprove this kind of men, or to exhort them to the study of righteousness; for they grow worse and worse; they are so blinded, stupified and hardned in their sin, that they will go on in their dark and sinfull courses, though they ruine themselves, and the Common-wealth to boot.

In the words we have all the Degrees of Comparison, and in them the character of evil Judges: 1. These corrupt Judges were blind: They know not, p. 125that's bad. 2. They will not understand, that's worse. 3. They will walk on in their own dark courses, that's worst of all. 4. Though the whole world be in confusion, and the very foundations of the earth shake under them, partly through their own mis-government, and partly by the just judgement of God, yet they were stupid and sensless, they took no notice of it, so as to amend what was amiss, but went on still in their perverse Practices, till all came to confusion. And this is Super-superlative wickedness.

1. Their first Degree of evil is Ignorance, they know not. They were wise enough to do evil, but to do good they had no knowledge.

Question.

But here a Question may arise; Since these men were Iudges in Israel, and had Parts, with answerable breeding (no doubt) to fit them for such weighty imployment, how then is it said, They know not, neither do they understand?

Answer.

The answer is easie. Knowledge is twofold, Speculative, or Practical. These Judges were not fools and ignorant of their duty, they had a Theoretical, Notional, Speculative knowledge of it; they knew that they were Gods Vice-gerents and Deputies appointed by him to execute Justice and Judgement amongst his people impartially, and that they ought to have a tender respect to the poor and the afflicted; and if they did not thus, they knew that God would punish them. All this no doubt and much more they had in the Theory, having so many Prophets as the people of Israel had to instruct them.

2. But if we look upon their Practice,Verba nolitiae apud Hebraeo…, a…fectus comprehendunt. See Schools G…rd. Rule 11. so it may be said they have no knowledge, viz. so as to love, p. 126affect and practice what they know. In Scripture, Knowledge without Practice is counted no Knowledge; and Hypocritical false things are esteemed as no things.The word Iadang (in the Text) implies both knowledge with the mind, and acknowledging and regarding with the Affections. Thus graceless men are accounted as no men, Ier. 5. 1. Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see if ye can find a man. Why, the streets were full of men: yea but because they were not good men, God accounts them as no men. Thus the wicked are said to have no Heart, Hos. 7. 11. i. e. no heart to goodness, and then as good have no heart at all. Thus the wicked are said not to hear the Law, because they do not hear it rightly, and obedientially. Thus Saul is said to reign but two years over Israel, when he reigned many years: but because in his two first years he reigned well, and after did degenerate, therefore his last reigning was accounted as no reigning. So these Judges, though they knew they should judge righteously, without respect of persons; yet they did judge unrighteously, with respect to persons; and therefore God accounted their Knowledge as no Knowledge: They Know not.

Neither do they Understand.

They were stupid and uncapable of good counsel.Iabinu, from Binah inteltexit, consideravit, Pagnin. They did not Understand or consider (so much the word imports in the Original) the duties of their places, so as to practice them for the good of Gods poor, afflicted, oppressed people. The word is frequently used for consideration, as 1 King. 3. 21. when I had considered it in the morning. So Isa. 14. 16. & 43. 18. Consider the things of old, Ier. 2. 10. 23. 20. In the latter dayes ye shall consider it perfectly. So Iob 23. 15. & 37. 14. Consider the wondrous works of God, so as to be affected with them.

p. 127They walk on in darkness.

The words in the Fountain are very Emphatical.Tis not halla…u, ambularunt, but Iithhallacu, ambalabu…t indesinenter. Nam verbain con…ugatione Hithpael significationem intendunt, immò habitum, vehementiam & frequentiam denotant. Pagnin. They will walk on continually in darkness. They take not a turn or two in this dark Alley, but indesinenter ambulant, they are alwayes at it, it is their work, their way, their Trade, and no man nor means can put them out of it. They will walk on and continue in their wilful ignorance and sinfull perverting of Judgement in despite of God and man. Now to walk in darkness, in Scripture phrase notes,O…endit ignorantiam istoram judicum fuisse voluntar…am, ut qui noluerint ex lege Dei discere quid sui ess…t officu: Piscator. 1. A living in Ignorance, (Eccles. 2. 14.) when men care not to know the will of God, but say as those wicked in Iob 21. 14. Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes. These corrupt Judges walkt in wayes of darkness, and therefore they loved darkness more then light. This made them err in judgement, as blind men stumble at every thing that lies in their way; and hence came that sedition, tumult and confusion in the State. 2. To walk in darkness, is to lie in a natural condition, and live in a state of sin and ignorance, without any saving knowledge of God, Iohn 8. 12. & 12. 46. 1 Iohn 1. 6. & 2. 11. Prov. 2. 13. 1 Iohn 1. 6. & 2. 11. By nature these men were blind, but being drunken with pleasures, and besotted with the lusts of cove…ousness, bribery, private affection, and pust up with the greatness of their power, they had contracted an habituall blindedness, so that they could not diseern right from wrong, darkness from light, nor truth from error. Their lusts had blinded them, and put out their eyes, so that they could not see the duties of their places, nor remember the great account which they must one day give unto God of their Stewardship: but as Sampson when he had lost his eyes was abused and put to grind in a Mill; so p. 128these being blinded by Satan, were made to grind in the Mill of every sin and error.

All the Foundations of the earth are out of course.

These words have almost as many Interpretations as there be Interpreters. 1. Some add the word (albeit or although) to the Text, They walk on in darkness, albeit the foundations of the earth be moved: and so they make these words an Aggravation of that prodigious stupidity which had possest those great ones of the world. q. d. Such is their sottishness and senselesness, …hat though all the world be in confusion, and heaven and earth be ready to come together, yet do they snort in their security, and will by no means be quickned to the execution of justice, that they might prevent destruction.

This sense is good, but with submission to better judgements, I conceive the words may be taken as they are in themselves, without any Addition, for the sad effect and consequent of that ignorance, unrighteousness, cruelty and stupidity which reigned in their Rulers,Iimm…u (à Mot.) nutabunt, declinabunt omnia fundamenta terrae, Mercer. apud Pagnin. viz. that by reason of it all the foundations of the earth were out of course, i. e. all Laws were broken, all Orders violated, the wicked were encouraged,Fundamenta terre videtur nominare ea quibus salus publica nititur; ea ver ò sunt recta administratio juris, conservatio disciplinae & pacis, defensio innocentum, & poen… sc…ler…m. Moller. the godly discountenanced, the publick Peace disturbed, and the state of all things turned upside down: nothing but murder, rapes, rapine, violence and all out-rage to be found: no man knows where to have right, or by whom to be protected from wrong. Yet they know not, neither will they understand, they will walk on in darkness; and what is the issue of all this? why, the very foundations of the earth will move. (So tis in the Original) i. e. all things will run into confusion and disorder by reason of the stupidity and wilfull disobedience of the Rulers of this people, (Psal. 60. 2. Isa. 24. 19, 20.) Others make the words a Commination of p. 129some destruction at hand,Maniseslè dicitur de Principibus à justitiâ & pietate declinantibus, qui moveri, i. e. non consistere in vera via, & statione dicun…ur; ideò ill… graves minatur poenas. Illyricus. the foundations of the earth shall be moved, (they read the word Passively) q. d. God will destroy that Nation where such ill Magistrates bear sway: as a house whose foundation is taken away cannot stand; so since the Rulers of my people who should be the Upholders of the Land by executing justice, are become the destroyers of it, I will destroy them altogether. But the former sense is most genuine: for although the Septuagint do frequently render the Verb Passively, yet why we should forsake the Original (as the Vulgar Latin frequently doth, to follow the Septuagint) I see no Reason; especially if we consider the corruptness of the Septuagint which now we have. Take but one place for instance, Isa. 9. 6. speaking of Christ, the Septuagint put foreign, for Deus, and leave out many of Christs Titles there, which prove his Deity. I speak not in the least to disparage that Pincely work of that Reverend and Learned man whose labours praise him in the gates,Dr. walton. and for which I desire to bless the God of heaven, and have long since received it with a foreign. But I speak it to this end to caution young men not to lay too much stress upon the Septuagint, considering what the Learned have said of it. Ista Graeca Versio quam nunc habemus, in plurimis loc is dissentit ab Hebraeo; multa habet qu…e non sunt in Hebraeo, ut om…es noverunt qui in ea versati sunt. Philo.

Licèt non ignorem nonnullos in ea sententia esse, ut existiment interpretationem 70. Seniorum penitùs interiisse: multò probabiliùs censeo illam adhuc superesse: sed adeò corruptam & vitiatam, ut omninò alia esse videatur. Bellarmin. l. 2. de Verbo Dei. c. 6. Nos summo studio, curâ & diligentiâ 70. Interpretationem cum Hebraeo contulimus, & tot invenimus addi…a, dempta, depravata, immutata, & ab Hebraico prorsus aliena, ut mihi persuadere nequeam illam ess… 70. Interpretum. Pagnin.

p. 130Periodos integras omisere, …ec non capita integra Capellus.

But this point is so excellently cleared by the Learned Dr. Walton in his Apparatus, See Mr. Leigh his Body of Divinity. l. 1. 6. 7. p. 72.Prolegom. 9. that I shall only refer you thither for better satisfaction.

IN the words is set forth to us, 1. What it is that is out of course? The Earth, i. e. Met. S…bjecti.The Inhabitants of the earth.

2. What part of the earth? not the Superficies or Surface, but the very foundation of the earth,Tis an Hyperbolical P…overbial Metaphor. by which Metaphorically is meant the due administration of Justice in punishing the wicked and defending the good. These be the Pillars that uphold the world, and upon these Common-wealths are chiefly founded.

3. Here is the extent of this confusion; not some but all the foundations of the earth are out of course. Those that should be the Pillars of the earth, they are rotten Posts that deceive the building and let all run to ruine.

Observation 1.

All reprehensions and admonitions that are bestowed on wilfully blind and obstinate sinners, are lost, and in vain (as to the parties reproved, though our labour be not vain in the Lord;See Mr. Lysords Ser on 2 Cor. 2. 15.2 Cor 2:15 Isa. 49. 4. 2. Cor. 2. 15.) we do but wash a Black-more, or wash a Tile; the more rain is poured on it,Laterem lavarc. Proverb. the blacker it grows. When men are set, given up and wedded to their sins, it is time to let them alone, Hos. 4. 14, 17. This made the Lord here leave off-complaing to these Judges, and to turn his complaint to himself and to his people. They know not, they will not understand. God will not honour them now so far as to reprove them. Thus did the Prophets when men were obstinate, past Counsel and Instruction, they turned to the p. 131earth and called upon the inanimate creatures to hear, Isa. 1. 2. Hear O Heavens, and give ear O earth! So Micah 6. 2. Hear O Mountains the Lords controversie, So Deut. 4. 26. & 32. 1. Ier. 6. 19, & 22. 29. That Preacher thinks his people very bad indeed, who directs his speech to the seats they sit on, and the Pillars they lean too; q. d. Hear O ye Seats, and hearken O ye Pillars what the Lord hath done for an Ungratefull and Rebellious people. These are scorners that do but jeer at such as call on them to live Soberly, Righteously and Religiously. Solomon bids not reprove such lest they hate us, Prov. 9. 8. These are Dogs that fly in the face of such as go about to stop them in their sinful practices, Mat. 7. 6.

Question.

But is not this a sufficient excuse to make us cease from reproving sinners?

Answer.

No; for the Holy Ghost before in this Psalm though he knew those he spake to were incorrigible and incurable, yet reproves them first and admonisheth them to do their duty, verse 2. 3. 4. for though such wicked men be not amended, yet we have discharged our duty, and they will be left without excuse in the day of the Lord, when they shall see and say they had a Prophet amongst them to warn them, Ezek. 2. 9.

2. We must be very cautious that we do not presently cast off every wicked man as a Dog,See this Point fully stated by Mr. Reyner in his Government of the Tongue, p. 170, &c. ☜ that frets at reproof; (for a good Asa may do so, 2 Chron. 16. 9, 10.) The Lord himself is patient and bears long, and loth he is to cast off his people,And Mr. Chudworth on Galat. 6. 1. p. 351, &c.Gal 6:1 Hos. 6. 4. Now when the Lord bears, we may well bear; but he bears with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath who are fitted to destruction, Rom. 9. 22.

p. 132Observation 2.

Ignorance is the Mother of mischief. These Judges judge Unjustly, respect persons, neglect their duties, oppress the poor, &c. but what was the cause of all this? he tells you, They know not, neither will they under stand. This in Scripture is oft set forth as the Root of all sin, Hosea 4. 1, 2. there is no mercy, no truth; nothing but killing, lying, stealing, and outrage; and why so? why there is no knowledge of God in the Land. So Isa. 1. 3, 4. 1 Pet. 1. 14. Revel. 3. 17. one great cause of the Church of Laodiceas misery was this, that she knew not her misery. Ignorance and working uncleaness with greediness, are joined together, Ephes. 4. 18, 19. This made the Jews to crucifie Christ, Acts 3. 17. I wot Brethren that through Ignorance ye did it: and Pa…l to blaspheme, and persecute Gods people, 1 Tim. 1. 13. I did it ignorantly. When the Gentiles knew not God, then they served Idols, Gal. 4. 8. Why is not God loved, feared, obeyed? why because he is not known; for as incognitum non amatur, so non timetur. Children that know not the strength and terror of a Lyon, fear him not. This made the Saduces to err, Mat. 22. 29. Ye err not knowing the Scriptures. All sins and errors are Radically,Omnis malus coecus & ignor…ns. Aristot. Seminally, and Fundamentally in Ignorance. When the Apostle had said, There's none that understands, see what a black Guard of sins do follow,See more in Mr. Pembles Ser. on Hos. 4. 6 The mischief of Ignorance, and Mr. Clerks Mirror. Chap. 54.Hos 4:6 Rom. 1. 28. to 32. & 3. 11. to 19. when the eyes of the Jews were blinded, then all wickedness like a stood broke in upon them, and there abides even to this day, Rom. 11. 8.

Ignorance is evil in any, but specially in such as are designed for publike service. A Magistrate that is ignorant of the Law, and a Minister of the Gospel, are two sore judgements: the one destroys many a soul, and the other mars many a good cause. p. 133A Prince that wanteth understanding is a great Oppressor (saith Solomon,) Prov. 28. 16. Its a great misery to a Nation when the Rulers are children in understanding, Eccles. 10. 16. Isa. 3. 4. Magistrates had need of abundance of Wisdom and Prudence; Sinners are subtile to contrive wickedness, and Magistrates had need of Serpentine Wisdom to search it out: For as Truth, so wickedness lyeth in profundo, its buried deep, Isa. 29. 15.

Tis not for Kings (say flatterers) to Read, Pray, Study; they must Hawk and Hunt, and Game and take their pleasure; as if God had made them for no other end in the world, but as he hath done the Leviathan in the Sea, to take his pleasure therein, Psal. 104. 26. No, God commands Kings to Write, Read and Study his Law, Deut. 17. 18, 19. It must be their Vade mecum, their constant companion, which they must study as well as the Laws of the Land. Tis necessary that Rulers should see with their own eyes, that they be not seduced by flatterers and Parasites. We read how Moses the chief Magistrate was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians before he was called to Government. Tongues, Arts, Sciences, Philosophy, History, Law, Divinity, are all requisite to make a compleat Magistrate.How necessary all kind of knowledge is, See à Lapide, Encomium Sapientiae Ethices, Naturalis, & Divinae. In Prefat. ad Ecclesiasticum. p. 1, 2. &c. They must not only be Honest men, but Able men, (Exod. 18. 21.) men of Parts, Gifts and Understanding, (Deut. 1. 13.) Men (as we say) cut out for the work; for as every one that is Godly is not fit to teach others; so every one that hath Grace is not fit to Rule others. They must be men dextrous in the Law, else how shall they direct others according to Law? When Rulers are children in gifts, though men in years, and babes for Understanding, being weak as women, then follows oppression and confusion, Isa. 3. 4, 5, 12. As no wise man will go to an unskilfull Physitian for Physick; nor venture himself in that Ship that hath an unskilfull Pilot; So p. 134no man that is well in his wits will venture his cause in the hands of an ignorant Judge. As unsavoury salt is good for nothing; so raw and rude Rulers are the Pests of their places.

Oservation 3.

Knowledge without Practice is no Knowledge in Gods esteem. … scimus, quantum operamur.In Divinity we know no more then we practice. To the Jews were committed the Oracles of God, and they had great skill in the Letter of the Law; but because they did not practice it, God complains of them as ignorant, Isa. 5. 13. Hos. 4. 6. Yea the Priests are said not to know the Law, 1. Sam: 2. 12. Ier. 2. 8. & 4. 22. they were Priests and so could not be totally ignorant▪ M…lti habent cognitionem salutis, sed non cog…itionem salutarem.but because their knowledge was meerly notional and speculative without obedience and practice, therefore God accounted it as no knowledge. Thus cruel, oppressing Rulers though they had some speculative knowledge, yet because they hated the good, and loved the evil, they are said not to know judgement, viz. so as to practice it, Ier. 10. 21. Micah 3. 1, 2. Prov. 29. 7.

Rest not then content with shews and shadows;Cognitio veritatis est duplex; Pure Speculativa, vel Affectiva. Aquinas. V. Dyke on the Sacrament, chap. 4. ushers Medications, p. 1. let not Satan cozen thee with the leaves of speculation and external profession; but let thy knowledge be an Affective, Practical, Obediential knowledge; else knowledge without practice will but double your stripes, and increase your condemnation, Luke 12. 47. Iohn 9. ult. Iames 4. ult. Where the Spirit of Regeneration comes, it brings a Light with it, (Ephes. 1. 17, 18. & 5. 14.) not a natural, but a divine, supernatural Light; not a cold light, like that of the Moon: but a burning light, like that of the Sun,See the Difference between common and saing knowledge. Dr. Preston, Saints Infirmities, mi…i. p. 159, 160. Iohn 5. 35. tis not a sading, vanishing light, but it is an abiding, enduring light, wh…ch all the Devils in Hell shall never extinguish. As the Ioy, so the Light of Gods elect (though it may be for a p. 135time ecclipsed, yet) shall never be totally taken from them. A natural man may have a little glimmering twi-light; but this is a Soul-awaking, Sinconquering, Soul-convincing, Soul-commanding light; it is effectual in the hearts of believers, and makes them grow in grace, 2 Pet. 3. 18. There may be knowledge without grace, but there can be no grace without knowledge. Knowledge is the oyl in which the flame of the Spirit lives. 1. Tis the saving knowledge of the truth that sanctifies us, and delivers from the bondage of sin in which by nature we are intangled, Iohn 8. 31, 32. & 17. 17. 2. It increaseth faith, Psal. 9. 10. Quantum cog…scimus, tantum diligimus; qui… dilectio sequitur cognitionem, cum ignoti nulla s… cupido.they that know thee will trust in thee. 3. Twill make us love him more intensively; the more experimentally we know God the more we shall love him. Cant. 1. 4. 4. Twill make us patient under all afflictions, when we know and see that the Lord corrects us for our profit, Heb. 12. 10. 5. Twill make us slight these transitory things, when we are truly convinced of the Vanity of them, Eccles. 1. 2. Heb. 11. 24, 25, 26.

Observation 4.

Want of consideration makes men n…glect the Duties of their c…llings. These Judges did not consider that God sate amongst them, and considered their sentences, ends and aims; this made them pass such unrighteous sentences. Inconsiderateness makes sin a bound, L…m. 1. 9. They are sinners and fools that consider not what they do, Eccles. 5. 1. This ruines Kings and Kingdoms, Isa. 1. 3, 4. & 5. 12. Ier. 12. 11. Hos. 7. 2. This ruined Eve; she no sooner saw the fruit, but she presently eats of it without any consideration of the misery that attended it, Gen. 3. 6. Did the Drunkard but consider the many woes that attend that sin,See more in my Comment, on 2. Tim. 3. 4. p. 117, 118.2 Tim 3:4 he would not rush into sin as the Horse into the Battle with such desperate p. 136violence. So we may say of all other sinners, Ier. 8. 6.

Observation 5.

Wicked men are wilfull men. They are obstinate in sin, and will walk on what ever come on it. Had these Rulers sinned of meer simple Ignorance, it might have excused them à tanto, though not à toto; it might have extenuated their sin:Ignorantia crassa & affeetata …us scire sper…it, ut liberius peccet; haec aggravat peccatum, 1. Quia fit ex socordia, ut in otiofis. 2. Quia fit ex philantia, ut in superbis. 3. Quia sit ex malitia ut in desperatis, quorum vox est, Scientiam tuarum viarum …olumus. Breerwood, Ethic. l. 3. p. 121. but their Ignorance being a gross, wilfull, affected and contracted ignorance, rejecting instruction, that they might sin more freely, could neither excuse them à tanto, nec a toto, not in the least, but it did highly aggravate their wickedness. This is made a frequent Character of wicked men, that they are wilfull sinners; they have necks of Iron, and brows of Brass; though they are perswaded, yet they are unperswadable. They will not hearken to the voice of the Charmer, charm he never so wisely. They say to God as those wicked in Job 21. 14. Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes; their ignorance is a spontaneous willing ignorance, (2. Pet. 3. 5.) they might know, but they will not. Like those rebellious Jews, when God commanded them to walk in his paths, they peremptorily answer, we will not walk in them, Ier, 6. 16. & 44. 16, 17. let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness: in a land of uprightness they will do unjustly, and will not behold the Majesty of the Lord: yea though his hand be lifted up (in judgement) yet they will not see.See Fenners Wilfull Impenitency. Here are four will-nots that aggravate their sin, Isa. 26. 10, 11. Let strangers devour their strength, and gray hairs (the symptoms of feebleness, old age and death approaching) be upon them, yet so stupid are they, that they perceive it not. Hos. 7. 9. let God be a tender Nurse to lead and love them, yet so sottish are they that p. 137they neither know nor acknowledgeit, Hos. 11. 1, 3, 4. Zeph. 3. 7. See the danger of Obstinacy in A…tersoll on Nu…b. p. 622. &c. foli….These are wedded to their lusts and there is no parting of them, Hos. 4. 14, 17.

Observation 6.

To persevere in wickedness is the height of wickedness None so wicked as the resolvedly wicked. They will walk on in darkness and that continually, tis their Trade and they will not leave it. The best may fall through weakness, but these are wilfull. As resolution and perseverance in goodness is the heigth of goodness, as we see in Iob, (Chap. 2. 3.) who kept his integrity in despite of all that Devil could do; and Noah (though he lived in a corrupt age, yet) in despite of them all he sets his heart on God, and resolvedly walkt with him all his dayes, Gen. 6. 9. and Hez…kiah when he came to die, comforts himself with this, Remember O Lord, how I walkt before thee (continually or without ceasing, so tis in the fountain) with an upright heart, Isa. 38. 3. so perseverance in wickedness is the hight of wickedness, 2 Chron. 28. 22.

Observation 7.

Wicked men lead miserable lives. They walk in darkness: we pitty such Prisoners as lie and live in deep, dark dungeons all their dayes: why this is the state of every wicked man, though they think themselves the only wise men, and that none see but themselves, (as the Pharisees did, Iohn 7. 49. & 9 ult) yet there's no Prisoner that lies in the darkest dungeon especially (if he be godly) but is in a better condition then the greatest wicked man that is spiritually blind, though he live in pompous Palaces. These Rulers in the Text, no doubt but they thought themselves very wise men (and probably they were so in respect of natural and worldy accomplishments) yet because they abused their p. 138parts, and did not improve them for Gods glory, he tell us here, They walk in darkness. The Princes of Zoan are called fools, i. e. Pharaohs Counsellors, (which were worldly wise men) yet for want of saving knowledge are called fools in Gods Dictionary, Isa. 19. 11.

This will yet better appear if we consider the allusions between inward and outward darkness. 1. Darkness hinders us from seeing our way. A man tha… walks in darkness knows not whether he goes, (Iohn 12. 35.) he may go into Ditches, Boggs, Rivers, and miscarry many wayes. So he that walks in spiritual darkness, knows not which way to go, nor what to do: he is in perpetual danger of falling into this ditch of error, …nd that bogg of Heresie, and to plung himself into a world of sin and sorrow. Blind men cannot judge of colours, nor can these distinguish between truth and falshood.

2. Such catch many falls▪ and stumble at every thing: so when mens wayes are dark and slippery they are apt to fall every way into Satans snares, (Iob 5. 14. & 12. 17. 25.) and to stumble and take offence even at Christ himself.

3. Darkness is a dismal thing, it fills men with fear and horror, (Gen. 15. 12.) So that a man hath no joy of himself, nor of the creature: so a man that lies in spiritual darkness being destitute of saving knowledge, when conscience is awakened, he is filled horror and Desperation, which imbitters all creature comforts to him. Let us therefore labour for saving knowledge, and above all getting, get true Understanding. Solomon prefers it before Silver, Gold and Pearls, (Prov. 2. 2, 3, 4.) because it brings grace, life and salvation with it. Multiplicity of this knowledge will multiply grace, 2 Pet. 1. 2. This will be a light unto our feet, and a Lamp to our paths.See the Excellency of Light. Culverwell Light of Nature. Chap. 17. p. 173, 175, &c. This Light is a pleasant thing, by it we see whence we came, whither we go, how to order p. 139our steps, what dangers to shun, what enemies lie in our way that we may resist them. Such are wise whose eyes are in their heads, but tis the fool that walks on in darkness; (Eccles. 2. 14.) q. d. a wise man is well advised and goeth prudently to work; but a foolish man is imprudent and unadvised in all his wayes.

Observation 8.

Iustice and Iudgement are the foundations of a land, Psal. 11. 6. A house may as soon stand without a foundation as a Common-wealth without Government. When the righteous are encouraged, and the wicked, punished, this upholds a Throne, and establisheth a Land, Prov. 16. 12. & 29. 4. Good Laws are the foundation of a Nation; but the iniquity of Judges moves these foundations out of place, and makes the state like a bowing wall that belcheth out, or a tottering fence, Psal. 62. 3. Isa. 30. 13. Twas therefore a notable piece of policy in Absolom when he would steal away the hearts of the people from David, he went about to perswade them that the King his Father had no Justice for them: but Oh that he were made judge in the Land that every one that had any cause might come to him and he would do them justice, 2. Sam. 15. 3, 4.

Let us therefore pray for those in authority that God would give them wise and understanding hearts to know their duty, and knowing it to practice it, that under them we may lead Pious, Peacable and honest lives: for if these foundations once fail, and we have either no Magistrate, or corrupt ones, all will run into confusion. When once wickedness comes to be establisht by a Law, the sin becomes National, and National sins bring National Judgements: and therefore you may observe in Scripture, and in all Histories, that when the Rulers of a people have been wicked, ruine suddenly followed, Isa. 1. 23. 24. p. 140Ier. 5. 28. 29. Micah 3. 11, 12. What potent and flourishing Nations have been laid in the dust by Popish, Tyrannical, cruel Governours!

Observation 9.

Wicked men are stupid men. Let foundations be moved, and all things run into confusion by their means, yet they are senseless, sit still and take their ease, never regarding the afflictions of Gods people. Hester. 3. Ult. Let all move, yet they will not move. Let the Lord bind them and beat them, yet they cry not, Iob 36. 13. though they lie amidst a Sea of troubles, and themselves be as one that is on the top of Mast, yet there can they sleep fearlesly in the midst of the greatest dangers: though they be stricken yet they stir no…, so great is their Lethargy, Prov. 23. 35, 36. Pharaoh had plague upon plague, yet nothing mended him, but he was Pharaoh still. Hence wicked men are called brutish, Ier. 10. 21. and De…d, lay all the world on a dead man and he feels it not. Rob them, ransack them, and let the fire of Gods displeasure seize on them, yet they lay it not to heart, Isa. 42. 24, 25. Tis only good men that are tender, sensible men and mourn for the afflions of Ioseph.