ISRAEL'S FAST. OR, A MEDITATION Upon the Seventh Chapter of Joshuah; A fair Precedent for these Times.  
By H. B. Rector of S. Mathews Fryday-Street.  joshua 7. 14. Up, sanctify the People, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: Thou canst not stand before thine Enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. 
Printed at Rochel. MDCXXVIII.   

To our Royal joshua, and loyal Elders of Israel, now happily assembled in Parliament, Grace, Mercie, Peace, Unity, unanimity, Wisdom, Courage, Zeal, for Christ, for Religion, for the Republic, for all ISRAEL.  
MOst Noble Senate, blessed be God the Author, and our joshua, his blessed Instrument of this your happy assembling. And, what word Mordecai sent to Hester in that deplored estate of God's people, let me be bold to transfer to you, in the like case: Who knoweth, whither you are come together for such a time as this? The Mite, which here I presume to offer into the rich Treasury of your grave wisdoms, is Israel's Fast; A poor Meditation (conceived formerly, but brought forth in this Season, I hope, in a good hour) which though it be out of my penury, for want of better means of Expression, yet springeth it from the superabundance of my Zeal, and hearty well-wishing. And this Fast being performed by joshua, and the Elders of Israel, upon Israel's discomfiture: I knew not to whom more fitly to recommend it, then to You, our Royal joshua, and Noble Elders of Israel, now assembled in one entire Body representative of this goodly Church and State. All this Fast was about the trespass of one Achan: But if our Israel have many achan's in it, the more need is there of Israel's Fast. Yet not a Fast alone. It is but the Preparative to the Purgative Potion, as here; nor as Iezebels Fast, to devour Naboths Vineyard: But Israel's Fast, to preserve God's Vineyard, by purging out the Troubler of Israel. This troubler was Achan, but unknown to joshua & the Elders, till found out by Divine L●●t. And are the Troublers of our Israel so concealed, as we need Divine Lots to discover them? Yet if so, God wants not his Divines, those of his Lott, such, as of whom the good King johoshaphat said to his people, 
2 Cron. 20. 20  Believe his Prophets, so shall ye prosper. I am the least, and unworthiest of all God's Prophets. And some must speak, lest the crying of the senseless Stones should convince us of unfaithful cowardice. Nor are we to look after extraordinary Commissions, as the Prophets of Old, unless we had extraordinary Inspirations. The Word is near us. Out of this Word is my Message directed to you, O joshua, and Elders of Israel. And this Word it is, which must direct you at this time in the finding out of the Troublers of Israel. Now Achan troubled Israel in two special respects: 
josh. 7. 12.  First, * In dividing God from Israel: Secondly, 
josh. 7. 3. compared with ch. 8. 1. where the division is made up again in a full March  * In dividing Israel from themselves. Thus all Dividers are Troublers of Israel. And to these two Heads may all the achan's, Troublers of Israel, be reduced. Now forasmuch as they are many, and a mighty Confederacy: our joshua, and the Elders of Israel now assembled, and fast joined together, are only altogether able to cope with them. Nor shall it be any prejudice to your grave wisdoms to take a Precedent, for your easier Process in this main Business, out of God's holy Word, and from the King and People of Israel. King Asa, and his People being about a great Work of Reformation, for their better God-speed, They enter into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their Heart, and with all their Soul: That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel, should be put to death, whither small or great, whither man or woman: And they swore unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with Trumpets, and with Cornets: And all judah rejoiced at the Oath, for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, and he was found of them: And the Lord gave them rest round about. This worthy example I only name to your apprehensive wisdoms, praying from the bottom of my heart, that you would put it in speedy execution, as the groundwork of whatsoever good we may hope or expect by the means of this Noble Meeting. Thus upon such A solemn general Covenant sealed by particular sacred Oath of each Member of the Three Estates in Parliament, the King, the Nobles, and the House of Commons, either no dividing achan's will be found lurking among you; or if any, they will the more easily be discovered, and so discarded. Then in God's Name go on, and prosper. Only let joshua, and Israel's Elders go inseparably together; Let not the Achan-faction, by their privy whisperings, divide them, by working disaffections. For if achan's may but come between, they will put both into extremities. For as David said to joab and Abishai, Ye are too hard for me, ye Sons of Zeruiah: So the Achan-faction may prove too hard for our David, for our joshuah, without the joint assistance of you the Elders of Israel. Like the Guisian-faction in France, who were too hard for King Henry the Third. In such a case than it is necessary, that the Elders stick close to joshua, to free Israel out of Hucksters hands. It is Solomon's advice, who was the wisest King, 
Pro. 25. 4, 5.  Take away the evil from the King, and his Throne shall be established in righteousness. And the Wicked there he compareth to the Dross, which being taken from the Silver, there shall come forth a Vessel for the Finer. This Dross, these Wicked, are the achan's, who so long as they are before the King, it will be hard for his Throne to be established in righteousness. Now to take them away (I say) the help of you the Elders is necessarily required. And doth not the King call you The great Council of Us, and of our Kingdom? And your Council, was it ever more necessary, then now, wherein the Troublers of Israel have almost gotten the upper hand?  
Good God, what powerful Enchanters be these achan's, that presume they can persuade the World, they are joshuahs' faster friends, when they would most divide him from the Elders of Israel? To persuade, they love the Head, when they seek to pull it from the Body? To persuade they are for the King, when they seek to strip him of his Subjects? To persuade, they are for the Shepherd, when against his Sheep? To persuade, they honour the Father, when they would set him against his loving Children, and loyal Family? What a Paradox is This? Wherein did Hushai more approve himself the King's Friend, then by his prudent frustraiting of Achitophel's traitorous Counsel, and so, reconciling and reuniting the revolted Subjects to their true Sovereign? What needed posting, and packing of Parliament-Elections, if all they that falsely pretend as faithful Service to the King, as Hushai did laudably to Absalon, were as faithful Servants and Friends to the King, as Hushai was to David? Are any afraid, lest the King's Liege people should choose such as are Popishly affected, or of factious Spirits? But such will stand most for the King's supplies. They pretend so. But who do more hinder or prejudice the King in his necessary and Royal Subsidarie Supplies, than such Factours? The Lord jesus separate such factious Factours, and miscreant Merchants both from the King and Kingdom of Israel, that so this Noble Assembly of joshua and the Elders, may give and receive reciprocal and mutual Supplies interchangeably: joshua the Head, receiving from the inferior principal Parts plentiful nourishment conveyed by the Natural and Vital Spirits: And Israel the Body, receiving from joshua their Head a due motion preportionable to the capacity of each Member, conveyed by the Animal Spirits, sweetly governing, preserving, and protecting, that so the Whole together may increase with the increase of God. There is a Fountain of an exhausted Golden Mine in the Bowels of all Truehearted English Israelites, which, as the King's favour, like the Sunbeams, begets it in them, so upon all fit occasions they will be ready in Golden streams abundantly to supply their Noble joshua. He needs no American-slaves to dig and force it, nor the Roman merciless Sword to rip it, as once out of the Captive- jews Bowels: But it will freely flow from Loyal Israel to their Royal joshua. And now, O Noble Elders of Israel, I know the Bees come not more loaden with Honey to the Hive, than you at this time with enlarged affections to minister abundant supply to your joshuah. Do it on God's Name bravely, and like yourselves. I am a poor Scholar, and am ready to sell my richest treasure, my Books, rather than joshuah shall want. And do it so, as, by God's blessing upon joshua, & you the Elders, and so upon us all by you, many Parliaments may be called, wherein you may testify (if occasion require) the copious and perennious Treasure of your love and loyalty in the like kind. How is that? I mean not, Sparingly, but as Arannah like a Prince gave to King David. For Vera liberalitas fundum non habet. But I mean (pardon my Zeal, which makes me thus bold to speak) in the genuine and natural Genius of your tender love and care for the safety and security of our Royal joshua, of the Crown, of the Kingdom, of Religion, and of Us all. But your liberal Subsidies are given for that end. True. But alas (pardon still my redenesse; I speak not as a Statesman, to advise such a grave Senate, but as a poor Minister of Christ, and Watchman of Israel, to petition rather) What can either Money, or Men, or Munition do, so long as Achans trouble Israel? There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel (saith the Lord) Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. Till this he done Is●ael must not look to prosper. We need no better warrant, than Gods own Word for it. It is your Wisdom to follow it, lest the Canaanites prevail over us. And the utmost extremity of the state of things calls upon you to do it instantly; It draws a circle about your Assembly, as that brave Roman did with his Staff about King Mithridates, not to stir, or step over it, till joshuas and Israel's danger, the accursed thing, be removed. It is impatient (I speak no more, than what you all know far better than I) to abide the expectation of another Parliament: you see all things are in such a Precipice, and Israel so dangerously sick, as if you the great College of Physicians depart without curing of it, all will have occasion to deem the case desperate, and irrecoverable, already drawing on a pace to a Dissolution, unless the Great Physician do mercifully and miraculously put to his Omnipotent hand. For the achan's, the Troublers of Israel, hasten the ruin of all.  
But who might those Achans be? Your wisdoms cannot be ignorant of them: yet because they are a mystical knot of Iniquity, and have exceedingly insinuated themselves into the good opinion of many; I humbly crave leave, that by the divine Lot of God's word, I may a little discover them. All achan's (as I said) are Dividers: first, between God and Israel: and secondly (as a consequence thereof) between Israel themselves; and that especially, while they mainly labour to divide the Head from the Body, joshua from the Elders of Israel. And (saith Christ) A Kingdom divided against itself, cannot stand. These achan's, which trouble our Israel, are of sundry sorts: as first, jasuites and Seminary Priests. These are the ring leading achan's: Of such the Lord saith in Deuteronomy, that because they seduce the people from God, they shall be put to death. These, as they divide God from us hi● servants, so they divide the Subjects from the King. This was wont to be Treason, but now a days it would pass for good Religion.  
The second kind of achan's troubling Israel, are Idols; ●f Achans wedge, and Babylonish garment troubled all Israel, as an accursed thing: how much more Popish Idols? shall we halt between two opinions? between God and Baal? Either go after the Lord only, if indeed he be God: or if Baal be He, go only after him, said Eliah. King Asa spared not his own Mother's Grove, and Idol; but broke them down, yea & for their cause deposed her from her Regency. Oh for the like zeal for God But certainly if these Idols and Masses, Images and Popish Trumperies be not speedily abolished, thou canst not prosper, O Israel, nor stand before thine Enemies. Down therefore with Popish Idols, O joshua, and the Elders of Israel, which cease not to cry of our jerusalem, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground. Spare not these Brats of Babylon, that dare perk up so near to God's Ark, threatening to shoulder it out of doors. But you know what befell the Philistines Dagon; and you may remember what befell the Romish Dagon in the Blackfriars upon their fifth of November. So jealous is our God, He cannot brook a corrival. But some, having been Protestant's formerly, in which Religion they were baptised, coming afterwards to be inveigled to Popery, and thereupon making a solemn vow, sealed (as they call it) with the Sacrament of the Altar, never to alter this their new covenant, make such a conscience hereof, as if it stood not with faith and honesty to break it. But do they not know (unless Popery hath altogether blinded their eyes) that any such covenants or vows ought neither to be made, nor much less to be kept, which have any commerce, or relation to Idolatry? Doth not our Precontract to Christ in our Baptism, to forsake the Devil and all his works, frustrate and make void all second contracts with Antichrist, for the setting up of Idolatry, one main work of the Devil? Nothing therefore ought to impeach our Christian Resolution and zeal, in the cashiering of these Troublers of Israel.  
A third sort of achan's are Neutralizers; but so, as the Bias of their affections, wheels and sways them round to Popery. These are so much the more pernicious plagues to Israel, in that under the seemly vale and masionlike habit of the Church of England, they labour to bring in that old Babylonish strumpet hoodwinked, that we should all reacknowledge her for our Mother. As may appear in a certain Book of Private Devotions (so called) published by Authority: the main scope thereof all along, being to reduce us all to one Church, and that none other, but (forsooth) the holy Catholic Church of Rome. But the whole Mystery of iniquity folded up therein, would require a more particular unfolding. These Neutralizers, or Popish Arminians, or Arminian Papists, or what ye will, under the name of the Church of England dare vent any Arminian heresy. As in a Book lately printed by Authority too, there is this most blasphemous Arminian heresy, that there is a goodness obiective in the Creature, which in order of Nature is precedent to the Act or exercise of God's will; thus, by necessary consequence making the Creature a God, having a selfe-being independent, but only upon Gods bare Prescience, upon which, and not upon that suprema causa causarum, Gods will, he hangeth the being, and well being of all the Creatures. And this sort and confederacy of achan's have gotten such a high hand, that no Book may be set out, if it be directly against Popery and Arminianism; nor against Popery in special, but with some qualification, or Ingredient, such as this: That the Church of Rome, though she have many errors, yet is a true Church. And by this device they do, like Balaam, mightily prevail, and that with great ones, Scholars and others, to draw us to some friendly commerce and correspondence with that Whoore. And they are grown so much the more confident, becave they have Authority in their hand, either to approve, or prohibit, what Books they list. Whereas, if the way were open, as formerly, freely to print Books by Authority against Popery and her confederate Arminians, their Neutralizing achan's, as so many Owls, would fly into their dark Cells, as not able to behold the sunbeams of the Truth. But we hope and pray, that joshua and the Elders of Israel will take such order, that instead of Popish and Arminian Books, Orthodox books may be freely published by Authority. And suffer me to speak, O noble Sages of Israel (I am for God, & my King, for Religion, and my Country) if you O joshua, and the Elders of Israel purge not out these pestilent Acans, or close clip their wings, they must needs bring utter confusion upon this state, ere it be long. They daily creep into high favour in Court; they prevail mightily by their plausible, insinuating, intoxicating flattery. They go about (as the Prophet Osee speaks) to make the King glad with their lies. Their Themes and Theorems are, that Kings are partakers of Gods▪ own Omnipotency; though this be a divine Attribute, incommunicable to any Creature: That, justice can be no Rule or Medium, whereby to give God, or the King his right. As if right were not grounded upon justice, as the Rule of it. Take away justice, and where is Right? Or as if the service, which we perform to God, were not bounded upon God's Laws, which are holy, Just, and good. Yea, God neither commands, nor accepts any other service at our hands, but such as his Law prescribes. And thus our service becomes just and reasonable. Yet with such like gloss they think, that Principibus placuisse viris non ultima taus est.  
Great Potentates thus to applaud,  
They reckon it no little laud.  
Nor do they blush not only to preach these things to the face of the Court, but dare also publish in Print this their shame to the open view of the world, not without great dishonour both to God and the King.  
Now the Lord jesus deliver our good and gracious joshua from these achan's, that his sweet disposition may not be enchanted with their Syren-songs. Herein the joint courage and zeal of you the Elders of Israel is required. Take away these achan's from the King, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.  
Many other branches of the Achan-faction there are, whom your wisdoms can more easily find out. But the masterpiece of your wisdom is, to find out (if any such Monster be to be found in Rerum natura) where the main Root and Head of all these branches and members lurketh. That must be digged and stocked up; else if it be but pruned, it will but sprout the thicker. If they go on thus, God's fearful judgements must needs fall heavy upon this Land: If we be lukewarm, and have no courage for the truth, the Lord will spew us out of his mouth. But God forbid, that base cowardice should suffer God's Truth, Religion, King, Crown, Kingdom, Church, every mother's son of us, to be by a pack of traitorous achan's (and so many worthies in Israel, descended of the magnanimous blood of the heroic truebred English, to look on with their thumbs under their girdles) betrayed into the paws of the Beast, & cheated & nosewiped even to their face, that the whole state, as one man, may take up that saying in the Poet, Prudens, sciens, viws, vidensque pereo. And that (I say) by traitorous achan's. For whosoever are traitors to God's Truth, and the Religion established, whereon the Kings▪ Throne is firmly established, whether they be direct Traitors to the State, I leave to your wisdoms to judge: but this I dare boldly affirm, Traitors they are by necessary consequence, betraying us into our enemy's hands, by making God our Enemy, as too many disastrous instances have proved, and as Achans instance in this Book will plainly show.  
In the name of God therefore, O ye noble worthies of Israel, quit yourselves like men: God hath now put a precious opportunity into your hands; The Lord strengthen you to lay fast hold upon it, and so to husband it, that the issue may be to his glory, to the preservation of our royal joshua, and you his loyal Counsel, and of all the Israel of God.  
Not to importune your wisdoms further (unless for pardon of my importunity; wherein yet your noble propensity will not easily brook to be importuned to pardon errors of zeal and true affection) I will only crave leave (for conclusion) to apply S. Aug. prayer in the siege of Hippo. Noveritis me hoc tempore nostrae calamitatis Deum rogare, 
Posidon. de vita Augustin.  ve aut hanc civitatem ab hostibus circundatam liberare dignetur, aut si aliud ei videtur, suos seruos ad praeferendam suam voluntatem fortes faciat, aut certè ut me de hoc saculo ad se accipiat. Which I English thus: My prayer to God in this time of Israel's calamity is, that either it would please him to deliver and free this Church and State from circumventing achan's, or if otherwise he see it good, that he would encourage his servants to prefer his will, by standing up courageously for the truth to the very last, or else that he would receive me to himself out of this wretched world, that I may not live to be a miserable spectator of the woeful wrack of my sweet native Country. Yet I hope better, and the best things, while joshua and the Elders of Israel join sweetly together in a mutual and inseparable sympathy for the weal or woe of Israel, imitating joshua and Israel's Elders here throughout, as followeth in this ensuing Tract.  
By the most unworthy, yet humble and faithful servant of Christ and of Israel, of joshua and the Elders, Henry Burton.   

Errata.  
Pag. 2. l. 29. blot out, Of the sun. l. 36. r. flight. &, safety. p. 6. l. 5. r. in the same engagement. p. 12. l. 10. r. posterity. p. 13. l. 35. r. in sum. p. 19 l. 22. r. endeavour. p. 31. l. 34▪ r. my boldness. p. 32. l. 20. r. reproved by Hanani. p. 34. l. 14. r. scrutiny. p. 35. l. 17. r. his face with his mantle. p. 37. l. 25. for rage, r. ease.   
joshua 7. 6. etc. And joshua rend his clothes, etc. 
AS a solemn Fast is very precious, when duly and dutifully performed: so, when otherwise, very perilous. That our Fast may prove no less acceptable to God, then profitable & comfortable to ourselves, we cannot have a more exact precedent for our imitation and instruction, than joshua, with the Elders of Israel.  
And joshua rend his clothes, etc. From this verse, to the end of the Chapter, are contained these generals: 1 joshuahs' Act, with the Elders of Israel, to the 10th verse. Secondly, God's charge and direction to joshua, from that to the 16th verse. Thirdly, joshuahs' execution of it, from thence to the last verse. Fourthly, the success thereof, laid down first in the Radical, So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger, v. 26. Then in a particular branch and fruit, Israel's victory, Chap. 8.  
First for joshuahs' Act: It is a very sad humiliation, and may well stand for a just platform of a solemn and religious fast, in all the parts and appertinencies of it, as we shall see anon. But before we enter into this house of mourning, the very first word in our Text, as the Porch, inviteth us to pause, pointing us back, to look upon the occasion of this great and grievous humiliation. And joshua, etc. Or as some translations, Then joshua, etc. Or as the vulgar Latin, But joshua, etc. All comes to one reckoning. It is a word of coherence, with what went immediately before, namely Israel's discomfiture, the occasion of joshuahs' discomfort.  
But what might the discomfiture be, to move so great a mourning? Surely three thousand Israelites had bravely undertaken to assault and surprise the City Ai: but they were shamefully repulsed with the loss of six and thirty men. Alas! Is this so great a matter to move the most courageous General joshua to rend his clothes? Yea, and those sage Elders of Israel with him? far be it. Such gesture may seem fitter for ignoble and imbellious spirits, then for the brave joshuah, and the grave Rulers of Israel. It might seem to have beseemed joshua rather to have buckled on his Armour, then to have rend his clothes; to march into the field, then to lie on his face; to fall upon the enemy, then upon the earth; to be powdering the enemy's pate with his steel, than his own noble head with dust. What was the loss of 36 men? A flea-biting in comparison. And the loss might be imputed either to the disproportion of the number, three thousand to a whole city, or to the disadvantage of ground, for they of Ai smote Israel in the going down of the Sun: or to the pride of those three thousand, puffed up for their parts, with their late conquest of jericho, perhaps presuming, that, as of jericho, so the walls of Ai would presently fall down, and give them possession; or to the straight and extremity of the enemy, now put to the last pinch, which might redouble their courage and strength, to fight it out desperately, sith in fight rather than in flight was safely; or if in neither, best to dye bravely in the bed of honour, it is their last fight. Now the likeliest way to cure all this, was for joshua to give a fresh assault, to double his files and his forces to regain Israel's loss. Yea, for joshua thus to deject himself upon so slight an occasion, might seem to argue him of an abject and degenerous spirit, not beseeming the Captain of God's people; it might also provoke the Canaanite the more insolently to triumph, if in those days there had been but a jesuit lurking among Israel's tents, to send secret intelligence to the enemy.  
But the noble joshua saw more in this small discomfiture then so. For first, though but 36 of the Israelites were slain, yet to joshua, the life of one Israelite was more precious, then ten thousand of the uncircumcised. Yea, have not heathen Captains showed the like affection to their Citizens? It was Pericles' glory on his deathbed, that he never caused any of his Citizens to wear mourning attire. And the great Scipio, when he was told by one, that he might win such a city, if he would expose but 300 of his men to loss: answered, he had rather preserve one Citizen, then kill a thousand Enemies. Why not joshua much more? If a Grecian or Roman Citizen were so dear to their Emperors, how much more an Israelite to joshua? But if joshua & the Elders were so affected for the loss of so few Israelites, what would they have been, if many thousands of God's people, had been spoilt by the Enemy? How nearly would it have touched them, if the whole inheritance of their brethren, the two Tribes and a half beyond jordan, had been taken away by the Heathen? We see here what kind of sport, pleasure, pastime, joshua and Israel's Elders used, in so small a discomfiture of God's people. They seek not now with some mad mirth, as the hearing of a play, or seeing of a Mask, to conjure down the spirit of a little sad Melancholy: but themselves are Actors in a most tragic Scene.  
Secondly, not only 36 had lost their lives, but upon this, all the Tribes and Troops of Israel had lost their hearts. For thereupon the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. They who but a little before were as Lions, are now become like a sort of sheep. A fearful condition, and a sign of divine desertion; for as Moses said, How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? Even as sheep in a pen, easy to be taken. What if the Enemy had taken courage, & used this opportunity, in Israel's consternation? High time then for joshuahs' Prostration to interpose itself. Prayers and tears were now (as always) Israel's best weapons.  
Thirdly, this repulse was greatly to Israel's reproach; no small touch to joshuahs' good heart. O Lord (saith he) what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies? Now might the heathen begin to be of another mind, that Israel was not invincible: and therefore might confederate against Israel, & resolve, as once the Philistims, upon a former defeat given to Israel, 
1 Sam. 4.  Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistims.  
Finally, that which above all moved joshua & the Elders thus to humble themselues, was the glory of Israel's God, now suffering by Israel's repulse. For now the heathen might say, Where is now their God? Now the Israelites themselves might begin to doubt of the truth of God's promises, wherein, upon this occasion, such an interruption & breach was made. This was that which troubled joshua, that he said, And what wilt thou do unto thy great Name? v. 9 These were the motives of joshuahs' mourning.  
But what might be the cause of this discomfiture, & consternation of Israel? v. 1. It was Israel's sin. The children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, etc. took of the accursed thing, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. This may seem no less strange to cause Israel's discomfiture; than it slight, to occasion joshua to fall on the earth. But Israel had transgressed. Why Israel? Was it not Achan alone? Again, what was achan's sin? Any more than the taking of a Babylonish garment, 200 shekels of silver, & a wedge of gold of 50 shekels? And was it not of the spoil of jericho? And was not Achan a Prince in Israel, of the regal Tribe? Might not his person challenge so much of the spoil, at least for his share? Might not so great a personage desire to reserve such a Babylonish Relic for a monument? How so great a sin then? If some part at least, of those 3000 sent against Ai had been idolaters, Israel might, not without cause, have suspected some disastrous issue. As if a Protestant state, should among Protestant subjects (when it hath enough) send such as are Popish idolaters for soldiers & captains against a foreign enemy of the Popish religion, were it not cause sufficient to defeat & frustrate the whole expedition, & to send the scattered & defeated army home again with no less shame, than loss? Much more if idols do, not as Achan, lurk at home, but dare with open face perk up, as Dagon, cheek by jowl, by God's Ark. Yet achan's one lurking sin was provocation sufficient to cause Israel to turn their backs. How so? For the Lord had given a special strict charge to the contrary, that no man should reserve aught of jerico to his proper use; all must be devowed to the fire, only the gold & silver consecrated to God's Tabernacle. Therefore no small sin, which Gods severe command aggravats. Saul had a fair pretence of reserving Agag, 
1 Sam. 15.  & the fattest of the cattle, the spoil of Amalek, pretending them for sacrifice; but it excused not his rebellion in disobeying God's commandment for the internetion of Amalek; yea it cost him his kingdom.  
Yea, but though Achans sin were so great, yet it was his own. How doth Israel then stand charged with it? What reason, is this, 
V. ●.  Israel hath transgressed; for Achan took of the accursed thing? Shall not the judge of all the world do right? Shall Israel be culpable for one man's offence? far be it. Nay, more than that, this sin of Achan was secret, hid from joshua, & the Elders of Israel. Indeed if they had known of it, & not punished it, they had made themselves accessaries, & so, culpable of it. The whole Tribe of Benjamin (a memorable & remarkable example) came to be extinct (except a 600, the poor 
* 25000.  remnant of many thousands) only for conniving and countenancing a few sons of Belial in Gibeah, who had abused the Levites wife. Let Israel read the whole story, and learn to abhor such countenancing, such connivency of sin in the sons of Belial. It was in those days, when there was no king in Israel. So it was the less marvel, that open crying sins being countenanced, and walking under protection (as then of a whole Tribe) should plainly argue, there was no King in Israel. An open sin then, though but of one Achan unpunished, might with some colour of reason be said to involve Israel with the same engagement with the author and actor of it: but Achans sin was yet concealed from Israel, they knew not of it, much less connived at it, least of all countenanced it. Indeed we read, that sacrifice was offered even for sins of ignorance. And we know by experience, that an Impostume bred within the body, unknown, unfelt, is no less dangerous to the whole, if not more, than an outward known Gangrene, or Canker. Howsoever, we see here, that for Achans sin, Israel is counted a transgressor: yea, all Israel smarts for it.  
here is then by the way a point of instruction for Israel, that one Achans sin is enough to trouble, to endanger all Israel (secret though it were) till it be removed. Nor goes this example alone. jonathan, King Saul's Son, for but tasting a little honey with the tip of his rod, and that in his great necessity, ignorant of any the Kings command to the contrary, caused God's Oracle to be silent, 
Jam. 1. 14.  a sign of God's displeasure against Israel. Rachel, having stolen away her Father's Idols (not for any zeal of depriving her father of the means of his Idolatry, but rather out of a blind love to her old Idole-acquaintance) how did she endanger the whole Family of jacob her husband, 
Gen. 31.  while Laban in zeal of his false gods (the most furious and bloody zeal of all other) pursued him with all his power, but that the Lord interposed himself by a monitory dream? Again, while these idols lurked still in Jacob's house, unknown (good man) to him, was not he and all his in danger of his brother Esau's inveterate hatred and armed malice, now marching against him, but that God's mercy came between, crowning jacob with the name of Israel, which he had so stoutly and devoutly 
* Gen. 32.  wrestled for, telling him, that as he had prevailed with God, 
Hosh. 12. 4.  so he should with men, hereby arming him with assurance against his brother? But you will say, this was upon an old quarrel. True. Yet Rachel's Idols might help to revive it. For (observe it) jacob had no security from dangers, till his house was purged of such stuff. For no sooner was this brunt over, but a third danger encounters him, to wit, the quarrel of the Sychemites and their Confederates against Israel and his Family. It was foul on both sides; but the lurking idols in Jacob's house (I dare be bold to say) ministers either fire, or fuel, to cause it burn the fiercer. Note the issue well. jacob purposing with his Family to go & erect an Altar at Bethel, 
Gen. 34. & 35.  there to worship the Lord in purity without mixture, first purgeth his family of all their idols. Then, then, I say, 
Gen. 35. 5.  & not before the fear of the Lord fell upon the cities round about, that they pursued not the sons of jacob. Till this time, we see, Israel had no rest, nor security from his enemies. How much more is this verified of such sin, when it is once come to a head and full height? For the purpose. What reign was ever more famously peaceable, then that of Solomon? yet in his old age, doting on his idols, by reason of his strange wives, 
1 Kings 11.  how did this trouble Israel? God began to profane the glory of that peaceable Kingdom, 
1 Kings 12.  by raising up sundry adversaries to vex him. 
1 Kings 14. 21.  And Rehoboam his son insisting in his Father's steps of idolatry (his mother being an Ammonitesse) and adding to his Father's little finger his own loins and oppressions, to his rods his own scorpions, was the cause of an incurable rent in Israel, of an irrevocable defection of the ten Tribes, and of the spoil of the treasure of the Lords House, and of all those goodly golden vessels and utensils of the Temple by the King of Egypt, though from thence Solomon had married his wife. So little confidence is there in marriage, league and alliance, where idolatry is a sticklar. In a word, in the Law of Moses, if a man committed murder in shedding innocent blood, the whole Land stood guilty of it, till it were expiated by the death of him that shed it. Numb. 35. 33.  
But how stands this with reason or equity, that one man's sin engages a whole Land? Yes, very well. For every Kingdom is a body politic. And one member gangreend, endangers the whole body, 
— Immedicabile vulnus Ense recidendum est, ne pars sincera trahatur. Pereat potius unus, quam vaitas.  if it be not prevented; and better the incurable member be cut off. Better, saith Christ, that one member perish, them the whole body be cast into hell fire. Again, sin is of a leprous nature, it quickly spreads over the whole.  
This being well weighed, it concerns every child of Israel to apply it to himself, to smite upon his thigh, to examine his conscience, to find out the traytor-sin, Achans sin, to wit, the close or open reigning sin, the sin of maintenance, of course, of custom, of habit, the sin of rebellion and contumacy, which else betrays himself, and Israel with him.  
Secondly, this should stir up the whole state when they see & feel, that nothing prospereth, but all things go backward with Israel, to humble themselues in sackcloth & ashes, & withal to search out the Achan, & purge out the sin that troubleth Israel. For till then, no peace, no prosperity for Israel.  
Thirdly, this should teach all true Israelites to condole the transgressions of others, as wherein themselves are so deeply interessed: when thy neighbour's house is on fire, it concerns thee nearly to quench it. And we are endangered not only by vicinity & neighbourhood of nature & society, 
— Paries cum proximus ardet, Tunc tuares agitur.  but much more, if we become Accessories of others sin, either by not preventing it when we may, or not labouring for their remedy by prayer or persuasion; or much more, by countenancing; applauding, & approving it, or also in not cutting it off (when no other remedy will remove it) with Israel's sword of justice  
In the last place Israel may gather by this one example of Achan, in what state it standeth. For if one Achans sin, and that unknown to Israel, proved so disastrous, so dangerous: then how lamentable is the condition of Israel, when the Land is full of achan's, and the sins of those Achans not so shamefast, as to seek to hide themselves in corners, but dare display themselves upon the open theatre? Such as say, with our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? Such as sit in the Chair of scorners. Such as sin with a high hand, Cum privilegio. Then it is high time for joshua, and the Elders of Israel to rend their clothes, to fast and pray, and more than that too, as we shall see anon.  
Proceed we from Achans sin, the Cause, to the effect, Israel's discomfiture, the occasion of Ioshua's discomfort, with the Elders of Israel. Achan now perhaps (if his guilty conscience gave him leave) was a sleep in his Tent, as jonas in the ship, or his lust exercised his eyes in beholding of his new Babylonish garment, his gold and silver wedges, the while his innocent brethren smarted for it. But joshua & the Elders of Israel, guided by another. Spirit, then of supine & careless sensuality, were now in the deep of humiliation for Israel, & that upon so small an occasion in comparison, & to see to.  
Here is then another lesson for Israel, to know & acknowledge it for the greatest happiness, when in their affliction, or so, they have such a josua and Elders, compassionate and tender-hearted towards their people, & such as are heartily affected with, as chiefly, the least reproach done to Israel's God, so the least damage or despite done to God's Israel by the enemy of both. Such was Israel's happiness here. Yea such was Egypt's happiness, 
Gen, 41. 43.  when, next to Pharaoh, joseph was set over them, before whom the King caused to be proclaimed, Abrech, which is tender Father; the best Title, beseeming the Governors of Israel. 
2. Sam. 1. 17.  Such was David's affection, who mourns for Saul and jonathan, & Israel's discomfiture by the Philistims, upon the mountains of Gilboa. Yea how was David touched only for a disgrace his servants suffered from the King of Ammon, whom he had sent in kindness to congratulate? Nor was it an imbellious sorrow, but such as became the King of Israel to express in a noble revenge. Also this King David, when through his default, his people were plagued, what an humble spirit, & fatherly affection did he express towards them, when he said to the Lord: 
2. Sam. 24. 17.  Lo, I have sinned & done wickedly but these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand I pray thee be against me, and against my Father's house. Under such Joseph's, under such joshuas, and Elders, under such Davids, Israel howsoever afflicted, yet cannot perish, Filij istarum lachrymarum perire non possunt. The Sons of such compassionate Fathers can never perish. There is ever hope for Israel under such a joshua and Elders. Israel was never carried captive, but under wicked and cruel idolatrous Kings. A pious and well affected Prince, being as a noble head, which ever keeping above water, preserves the body, though under water, from sinking.  
And how well doth it become all Ioshuas and Rulers of God's people, to be thus tenderly affected with the good or evil of Israel? For first, as they are next unto and under God in their power and sovereignty over his people: so in their joshua-like affection; they do most nearly imitate God himself, of whom it is said, Esay 63. 9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted. Again, Princes and Rulers, though they be by calling and office called Gods, yet in nature they are men, 
Psal. 72.  and shall die like men, as King David saith; they are of the same mould and mettle of their people, to knit them in a sympathy of affection with them. Therefore even Christ the Son of God took our Nature, with the infirmities of it, that he might be a merciful Highpriest, and having experience of our temptations, he might succour them that are tempted. 
Died▪  As that noble Heathen. Queen said, Non ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco: having experience of misery myself, I learn hereby to succour the miserable. Princes are also called Patres Patriae, Fathers of their Country, whose subjects are not more their servants in duty, than their sons in love. Also shepherds of the People. And the good shepherd binds up the broken, seeks out the lost sheep, and brings it home on his back rejoicing. Yea, Princes are Gods servants and stewards, whose chief office it is to maintain and vindicate the honour of their Lord. Lastly, how nearly doth the weal or woe of the subjects touch the Prince? for it is his own weal or woe. If but the foot, the most inferior member, be pained, the head by and by feeleth it as its own pain, it stoopeth to help it; as even wisdom would, the head should rather regard the commodity, than object the distance. If the feet be in fetters, the head cannot be free.  
It is Israel's office then always to pray for such joshuas, that such gracious and pious Princes may ever reign over them. Secondly, Israel must be careful to walk worthy of such Ioshuas, 
Prov. 28. 2.  both for the obtaining, and the long enjoying of them. Thirdly, if joshua and the Elders of Israel be thus moved even for the least calamities of their brethren; then how ought our whole Israel to be affected with the daily and heavy calamities of God's people, only divided from us in distance of place, not in difference of participation with Christ our head? Fourthly, having such Ioshuas and Elders, who like good Fathers, are tenderly affected with the least calamity of God's people, how thankful ought we to be to God for them, and to express this our thankfulness in all pious offices, and liberal beneficence, that nothing be lacking either for ornament to their princelike port, or much more for the necessary support of the Crown & kingdom? In the last place, if Israel have received far greater repulses, & reproaches, than now Israel had done, Israel had need to be so much the more humbled, if possible, then here joshua & the Elders were. And so much of the occasion moving joshua with the Elders of Israel thus to humble themselues.  
Come we now to their act itself. Therein consider 2. things. 1. The Circumstances. 2. The Substance of it. The circumstances are 3. 1. Of the Persons, the Actors, joshua & the Elders of Israel. 2. Of the place, Before the Ark of the Lord: 3. Of the time, until the eventide. The substance of the act consists partly of Action and behaviour, & partly of speech. Their action or behaviour was threefold: 1. They rend their clothes: 2. they fell to the earth upon their faces 3. they put dust upon their heads. All this v. 6. Their speech is a prayer or zealous & humble expostulation with God. v. 7. 8. 9 All which being jointly considered, they represent unto us an exact pattern & platform of solemn & public Fast. Which will the better appear, if we a little open every piece a part.  
First, for the Persons. joshua for his person was of eminent gifts and graces. He was one of the Twelve; that were sent to view the land of Canaan, one of the two, that encouraged the people to go take possession, contrary to the discouragements of the other ten. He only was with Moses in the holy Mount those forty days and forty nights. He was a man most zealous of God's glory, in his pure worship and service. So that in his pious and pithy exhortation to the people, Chap. 24. to fear the Lord, to serve him in sincerity; and in truth, to abandon their strange Gods: he concludeth, in case they would not, saying: As for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord. Yea he made a covenant with the people to put away their idols, and images, those strange gods; set them a statute and ordinance, Chap. 24. 25. He erected also a stone for a monument, & witness for perpetuity unto stosterity. A most excellent Precedent for Princes he was, sith the only rule of his Regiment was the word of God, the wisest Counsellor of Kings, if they would have their affairs to prosper. As josh. 1. v. 8. He took not his Precedent from his predecessor Moses, though he were a wise & a good man, but so far as he was regulated by the only rule of God's word. The wisest politicians may foully err in their government, whose precedents may prove the more perilous to their followers, when out of an admiration and high opinion of their wisdom, they withal swallow down their great errors, digesting them as corrupt blood into all the veins of the body politic; but they that follow God's word, cannot err. This made David wiser than his teachers, them the aged, them his enemies. Ps. 119. 98. In a word. joshua is not noted of any vice in Scripture, as even Moses and Aaron were.  
Again, for his office and calling, he was Moses successor, appointed by God to lead his people into the possession of the promised land. Herein also, according to his name, jehoshua or jesus, which signifieth a Saviour, he was a type of jesus Christ, who conducts his people into the heavenly Canaan. Moses and Aaron were defective and faulty, for which cause they might not conduct the people into Canaan; which is also a mystery, signifying, that the law, those legal and levitical observances were defective, and so could not bring Israel into Canaan's possession: only joshua, which is jesus, (in whom no fault is found, noted in Scripture; no more than Melchisedeches genealogy, to make him a type of Christ's eternal Priesthood; though neither joshua, as a man, was void of all sin, nor Melchisedech with out Parents) joshua (I say) a lively type of jesus Christ, was he, that must put gods people in the possession of the promised land. This is that jehoshua here who humbleth himself, and with him the Elders of Israel. whether they were the chief of the tribes or of the families of Israel, or else those 70 Elders, mentioned Ex. 24. 1. The chief of Israel they were without question. And the text saith, he (to wit joshua) & the Elders of Israel jointly.  
Hereby the way is a notable Emblem, and pattern of a well governed state, where joshua, the prime governor, goes not alone in his Counsels and actions, but hath his Elders with him. Even Solomon, for all his wisdom, had a grave Senate of sage Elders, whose Counsel if his son Rehoboam had not forsaken, preferring his brave younkers, before the grave Elders, his kingdom might long have flourished.  
Well what did joshua and the Elders of Israel here? First, they rend their clothes. To signify the renting of their hearts. So joel. 2. 13. Rend your hearts and not your garments. And the ceremony of renting the clothes was not lightly to be used, but in case when God's glory or name suffered; as Num. 14. 6. joshua and Caleb rend their clothes, when their fellow spies had by their misreport discouraged the people, causing them to distrust God's laws and promise. The like case is here. Secondly they fell to the earth on their faces; importing a stupendious abjection full of zeal, as utterly regardless of their dignity or persons, careless what became of them, so transported were they with zeal for God's glory, and people. Thirdly, they put dust upon their heads, in sign of greatest humiliation, as dead men, on whom the earth or mould is cast for burial. Hereunto add the other circumstances, as of the time, how long, until the eventide, the just term of a solemn fast: as also of the place, before the Ark of the Lord, the type of God's presence in his Sanctuary, before the mercy seat, the place of public worship: together with their fervent invocation, and zealous prayer to God: and so in some we have a full fast, in all the entire and main parts of it.  
Lo, then, what a noble precedent of true piety is here exhibited to God's people! And doth not our royal joshua the like? what saith the proclamation? Note the words well: In this fast his Majesty in his royal Person, & with his own family, and royal household, will give an example to the rest of his people. Yea, that the pious and religious considerations, [namely of deliverances past, of disasters present, and dangers imminent] have so wrought in the Princely heart of the Kings most excellent Majesty, that he hath not only had recourse, to that great and Divine Majesty, who is the King of Kings, in his private devotions, to implore his mercy, and favour to himself and his people; but according to the example of all good Kings in former ages, in the times of common calamities, which equally concern both Prince and people, to command a solemn, a general, and a public fast &c: So run the words. Which well observed, what hopeful fruits shall not such a fast produce, when the first seeds thereof, even prayers, and tears, are begun to be sown by our Royal joshua? And though in that his preceding, and private practice he seemeth to go alone: yet for the more grave and religious form of solemnising thereof, instead of the Elders of Israel, his most excellent Majesty hath consulted with his reverend Bishops. Which our noble joshua, and his reverend Elders, so far as they in this fast imitate joshua and the Elders of Israel, so let our Israel imitate them. Then doubt we not of a hopeful welfare to attend and succeed this fast, wherein joshua with the Elders of Israel lead us the way in sincerity of their heart, & in the precedency of their pious examples. And note one fare proof & fruit of our late general fast, upon the 2d of August, for the Country. That very day the heavens began to restrain their unkindly influence of excessive unseasonable famine-threatning wet, the Lord clearing up his cloudy countenance in the face of the crystalline sky, fair weather continuing from that day, to bring us in a joyful & most plentiful harvest, to the regret of all ingrateful misers and regrating cornmongers, but joy to all good hearts. The very like change of weather fell upon the very day of the last years fast, which began with the Court, and London fast. Thus God is pleased to grace our fasts, showing how much he is delighted with true humiliation.  
Now, by the example of joshua, and the Elders of Israel here, we are taught how to keep a right and religious fast to the Lord. First, as they rend their garments, so we should our hearts with deep contrition and godly sorrow, for God's dishonour, displeasure, and Israel's discomfitures. And if ever, now cause there is to rend our hearts, for Israel's fearful rents, both in Church & state. These great schisms and rents are best cured and closed again, by this one of the heart. If our hearts prove rocky, smite we them with Moses rod, by the application of Moses Law, that so being rend and cleft a sunder, there may issue out floods of living waters of repentance flowing from a lively faith, which may supple and close the clefts and chaps of our parched Israel.  
Secondly, as Ioshua's, so our fast must be with exceeding humiliation of soul and spirit, yea even to the dust, and that renouncing ourselves, as dead men, in whom is no help or hope, being as it were buried under ground, as joshua under the dust, which he cast upon his head. We must go out of ourselves, as the soul out of the body, flying to God, who only can free us from our evils, felt or feared.  
Thirdly, our fast must be constant as Ioshua's, until the eventide. The day of our fast is a holy day to the Lord, to be wholly spent in a religious abstinence as from our ordinary food, so from any pleasure, or profit of our own. The Lord reproves Israel for this, 
Esay 58. ●.  saying: Behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labours. We must forbear all kind of food, or repast till the eventide. So did Nineveh by the King's commandment. jon. 3. 8.  
Fourthly, the special place wherein to celebrate our fast, is the place appointed for public worship. Ioshua's humiliation was before the Ark of the Lord. Our private houses have their use for private devotions: but in the time of public service in God's house, whereat we must, if we may be present, our private devotions at home are of no other use, but to bring a curse in stead of a blessing, while the public ministry is neglected, or contemned. And ever in the public ordinance God doth more manifest his presence in the communication of his graces, then in our private families: yet by commending the public, I exclude not the private: but ever the private must give place to the public. The day of our fast, as also other the Lords Sabbaths, allows some time to be spent in our private families for the duties of the day, as those vacant hours both before, between, and after the public service: but the public worship must in no case be encroached upon by our private devotions, much less by our worldly affairs, or affections: at that we must be no less instant in coming then constant in continuing. So did joshua before the Lords Ark. Yea in some places, specially in the Country, where their Churches are greater, and their congregations lesser, being also upon a working day, and in harvest time, if they be accommodated for Preachers, agreeing upon it, the fast may be wholly spent in the Church, in the public congregation. Not that there is more virtue in the Church-wals, or pewes, or pillars, then in our private houses or closerts: but the public Ordinance is the most perfect beauty of holiness, ever to be preferred before private devotions.  
Fiftly, a religious fast must ever be joined with earnest and fervent prayer to God, either for removing present evils, or preventing future: or else in thanksgiving for benefits received and enjoyed.  
Lastly, all this must be done in sincerity of heart, as in the sight and presence of God, all hypocritical and Pharisaical veils removed from us. Thus Ioshua's humiliation, with the Elders of Israel, was before the Ark of the Lord, in the presence of God. Suffice it only to name these things as brief rules and directions for our fast.  
Only insist we upon two points, as most requisite to our present purpose. The first is: that in our public fast, God doth especially look upon the heart, that it be single and sincere without hypocrisy. Nothing is more abominable in the sight of God, than an hypocritical Fast: which the more solemn, the hypocrisy is the more insolently and audaciously impious, as daring to play mock-holiday with God upon the open stage. Such was Iezebels fast, a very pack of hypocrisy; who to colour and cover her craft, and cruel covetousness, to compass Naboths vineyard, she proclaims (forsooth) a solemn fast, having her false witness in a readiness, suborned to accuse innocent Naboth, saying, This man blasphemed God, and the King. Who would not imagine that this fast was rather to expiate Naboths imaginary blasphemy, then to satiate ahab's lust for his hereditary vineyard? saving that it was not so easy a matter for jezebel and Ahab by subtle hypocrisy to impose upon, no not, their credulous simples. The veil of hypocrisy is not for every ones wear. jezebel and Ahab were palpably & notoriously wicked, which, while they go about to hide under hypocrisy, they do but dance in a net of too small a thread to hold such a sish as Naboths vineyard, without the strong cords of a woman's lawless lust, armed with ahab's signet, with the awfulness whereof she had taught the Elders & Governors of Naboths City to be at a beck, 
1. Kings. 21.  and to serve at all turns. far unlike our joshua, & Elders of Israel here, in their Fast. But Ahabs kingdom was the revolted idolatrous house of Israel. No marvel if they were no less absurdly hypocritical, then grossly profane. But let not judah sin. Yes judah also was become an hypocrite. In the 58. of Esay The Lord bids the Prophet, Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of jacob their sins. What sins? Hypocrisy stands in the forefront, v.: 2. Wherein specially did they play the hypocrites? In their fasting; so v. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? etc. The Lord answers, v, 5. Is it such a fast, that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul, is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, & to spread sackcloth, & ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, & an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen, to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break the yoke? etc. A religious fast than is to lose the bands of wickedness: but hypocrisy fasteneth them the more by fasting.  
How so? For first, of an hypocritical fast comes no good, God regards it not, as the people complained. Yea, saith David, 
Esay. 58. 3.  if I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. 
Psal. 66. 18.  And Psal. 17. 1. Hear the right O Lord, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. Implying that dissimulation with God hath no plea for acceptance. Yea, on the contrary, as it hardens a man in evil, so it hastens greater judgements; especially in a solemn fast, it turns even our prayers into sin, and bringeth a curse in stead of a blessing; as jacob feared, by having on his brother's garment, and pretending to be Esau. Though never any dissimulation sped so well as that of Jacob's. And not without cause. For the blessing belonged to him, by a double right: By God's donation and designment, and by purchase from Esau; so that in truth and effect, jacob, was Esau, to wit, the elder brother, to whom the blessing of birthright belonged. This by the way. But false hearted hypocrisy is ever disastrous and unhappy. And as no reformation can be expected of a solemn hypocrite, but still greater obfirmation in evil: So he cannot hope of any good from God; or if he do, his hope shall perish, as job faith.  
But Ahabs humiliation and fasting, 
●biece.  though hypocritical, yet obtained favour of God.  
True, 
Answer.  But what favour? He obtained the reprivall of his punishment for the time, but not the pardon of his sin, nor consequently exemption from judgement. God's temporal, or temporary favour to an hypocrite, showeth how much he delighteth in a sincere heart. But Ahab was paid home at last for all his hypocrisy and impiety. For as he had swallowed down at a morsel Naboth's vineyard, whereof, for all his humiliation, and crouching, he never made, nor ever meant restitution, while he disfigured his face in a counterfeit fast: So at Ra●oth Gilead, the Lords arrow hit him home, 
1 Kings. 22.  & that in the same place, where Naboth was slain, and that also in Ahabs disguised attire, whereby he thought to have frustated the truth of Micaiah's prophecy. Well might Ahab by hypocrisy commit the evil of sin unseen of men, but he could not thereby avoid the evil of punishment, seen of God, for all his disguising.  
This may teach us in our humiliation to look well to our hearts, how they stand affected. The ancient Heathen used to look into the Entrails of their Sacrifice, whether they were sound or no. Caesar observing his sacrifice to want a heart, took it for an ill presage, as it proved. That which they did in superstition, let Christians have in religious observation, namely to look well to their heart, if sound and sincere: else such a sacrifice bodes no good. Wherefore is there a price in the fool's hand, to buy wisdom, and he wants a heart. Prov. 17. 16.  
Now an ill affected heart in our Fast-sacrifice, is either a wilful ignorance of our sin, or if we know it, stubborn impenitency, having no thought or purpose, much less desire and endeavous to reform it. This is a fast not for sin, nor from sin, but in sin, and unto sin. Ioshua's heart, and the Elders of Israel, was not so. They were ignorant indeed of Achans sin, but not wilfully or willingly. Besides, if they had known it, how ready would they have been to purge or to punish it? as we shall see afterwards? Otherwise, their sacrifice had wanted a heart, and so would have proved or procured a greater plague unto Israel. But in their humiliation they were no way guilty of Achans sin, nor as authors, nor as accessories, either by approving, conniving or patronising of it. They dealt sincerely.  
The second and last special point considerable in Ioshua's act, is, that as Ioshua's, so our fast, should be holy to the Lord, and for the lord When ye fasted, ye fasted not to me, but to yourselves: Zach: 7. 5. They sought themselves, their own wealth & welfare. No godamercy. Should ye not hear & c? Esay. 58. 3. That which joshua and the Elders of Israel sought, was principally God's glory which suffered in Israel's discomfiture. As v. 9 And what wilt thou do unto thy great name? It was not their own profit, or private ends, nor policy, but piety, that moved them to this humiliation.  
Qui Dei solius gloriam quaerit, acquirit & suam:  
Qui suam solius gloriam quaerit, perdit & Dei.  
He that seeks God's glory only, procureth also his own:  
He that seeketh his own glory alone, looseth also Gods.  
Now the right seeking of God's glory in our Fast, is to put the means in practice. As, to remove the impediments, generally all men's personal sins, particularly state-sins, as idolatry and heresy, which directly strike at God's glory, and ruinate Israel; as also oppression and bribery, which ruinated kingdoms. Withal, to establish the true Religion, with justice distributive and corrective: so is God's Israel, so the King's throne established.  
Many may the causes be of Israel's fast, whereof joshua & the Elders cannot be ignorant. Yet if there were no more, Achans sin alone, though concealed, is cause enough. But how shall Achan with his privy palliated sin, be found out? This is God's part in the next words, v. 10.  
From this verse to the 16 is contained the Lords charge to joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, etc. It may seem strange that God should bid joshua surcease his sorrowing, alleging withal the cause, Israel's sin. If Israel hath sinned, the rather have joshua and the Elders cause to continue their fasting and prayer. But we are not to take this charge as a check. For the Lord did not interrupt Ioshua's devotion, till the eventide, the time of comfort after sorrow. So that being at a full period, (And what wilt thou do to thy great name?) the Lord takes the hint and answers joshua so, as joshua might be partaker of that he prayed for. Otherwise, joshua and the Elders might have fasted and prayed long enough, with small fruit, if the Lords speech had not stepped in. Something else must be done besides a fast, before it will go well with Israel.  
But was not Ioshua's prayer and fasting avaleable? Was he not a holy and a virtuous Prince? And doth not the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avail much? 
jam. 5. 16.  Again was not joshua a type of jesus Christ? And are not the prayers of jesus effectual? Can God be angry with his people, for whom jesus prayeth? This is Israel's confidence, even ours, that we have jesus entered into the heavenly Canaan, there taking possession, there making intercession for us. Can any thing then betide us, but good? If our jesus pray, can we his Israel perish? God forbid. Yet something is required on Israel's part, to be made partakers of Christ's prayers, to bring the blessing thereof down unto us. Israel had the Oracles of God, his Ark, his special presence, a noble joshua and Elders praying for them: yet something was lacking on Israel's part. joshua, jesus may pray for Israel, yet Israel be in peril of perishing, if Israel have sinned. But Israel hath sinned saith the Lord to joshua; Wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? get thee up.  
If Israel hath sinned, Israel hath an advocate with the Father, 
1 joh. 2. ●.  jesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for all our sins. What more is required? yes, something. For, if we confess our sins, 
1. joh. 1. 9  he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If Israel confess his sin. Without this, not Ioshua's fasting and prayer will avail. Indeed our Ioshua's prayer, Christ's prayer for Israel, is an effectual means to work true faith, and to produce repentance in a sincere confession of sins unto salvation. And therefore Ioshua's prayer is not spent in vain, but is a fore runner inducing and conducing to the confession, and so to the purgation of Israel's sin.  
The point hence is: that all Israel's fasting, prayer, humiliation, devotion, is to no purpose to prevent plagues, but rather to provoke and procure them, if it be not attended with true repentance, & thorough reformation of Israel's sin. When you spread forth your hands (saith the Lord) I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear. Will not many prayers serve the turn? No, not a beadroule of Prayers, Why? your hands are full of blood. In prayer, pure, not bloody hands, must be lift up. God weighs not prayers by their plurality, but by their purity. And this purity, is not in a neat concatenation of Scripture phrases, or forms of speech, but in faith and affections of a pure heart. 
Ezech. 14. 3.  In ezechiel's time Israel had set up an idol in their hearts. Some Idol sin or other. Any beloved darling habitual sin, is an idol set up in the heart. How much more the love of idols, and images themselves? Well, what of this? 
Vers. 16.  The Lord there saith: Though Noah, Daniel, and job were in the land, as I live saith the Lord, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters. Why? The idol was set up in the heart.  
What then doth the Lord require in Israel's fast? Surely Israel's public and solemn fast requireth a public and solemn reformation of Israel's sin. joel. 2. 12. Turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning etc. Such was done in heathen Nineuches fast. 
jon. 3. 7.  The King caused to be proclaimed through Nineveh, (by the decree of the King and his nobles) Let neither man nor beast, heard nor flock, great nor small, old nor young taste any thing, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: Yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.  
Is this the condition required in Israel's fast? O then what a terror and horror is it for Israel, when in the solemn fast, not only some Achans privy sin is not looked into, to be purged and punished, 
Esa 1.  but open * crimson, scarlet coloured sins go disfigured for a day, to no other end, but that (as Rome's images at Easter, after their mourning in black all the Lent) they may spring out in a fuller vigour and lustre; using a fast, as the rose doth the sable night, to cause the fairer gloss?  
Yet here is comfort to the true Israel of God. What if Achans sins be not expiated? shall all Israel perish? God forbid. Shall not the judge of all the world do right? But if Israel be partaker of Acans sin, Israel must perish with Achan. True, but Israel fasteth, Israel prayeth, so joshua, so the Elders. What if many in Israel play the hypocrites in their fast? yet every Noah, Daniel, and job fasting and praying with and for Israel, shall be preserved. joshua and the Elders of Israel, fasting, praying, should have been preserved (who ever else had perished) though Achans sin had not been purged, so it had not been through their default. In Israel's fast then, let all true Israelites comfort themselves, if first they be purged themselves, by renewing their covenant with God, and if they cry mightily to God for the purgatition of Achans sin, whatsoeur, whosoever it is, that troubleth Israel: howsoever Achans sin remain unpurged, to the peril of Israel; yet the labour of such shall not be in vain, 
Mal. 3. 17.  in the Lord. In the day when the Lord makes up his jewels, he will spare them as a man spareth his own son, that serveth him. Then shall ye return (saith the Lord) and discern between the righteous and the wicked: between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.  
But what was achan's sin? It is laid down verse the 11. and laid to Israel's charge, as before. Israel hath sinned, and they have transgressed my covenant, which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even amongst their own stuff. So, Achans sin was sacrilege, theft, dissimulation, mingling the accursed thing with Israel's stuff. This accursed thing was a Babylonish garment, a wedge of gold, of 50 shekels, and 200 shekels of silver. It is called accursed in a threefold respect: first because it was Babylonish and Chanaanitish stuff, abominable to Israel. Secondly, because the Lord had expressly forbidden Israel to make or meddle with it, for their own private use. Thirdly, because meddled withal against the commandment, and intermeddled with Israel's stuff, it caused Israel to be accursed, and all they took in hand v. 12. For therefore (saith God) the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.  
Here than we might take occasion to speak of the sins of sacrilege, & such kind of sacred-profane theft, of hypocrisy, and dissimulation, of mingling execrable things with Israel's stuff: but it might prove tedious. Only for a touch by the way, Israel may learn thus much: that if the stealing of a Babylonish garment were so heinous: What had been then the bringing in of idolatrous relics with all Babylonish equipage and furniture, to set up the Babylonian Religion in Israel: in case also it had been done not secretly, as achan's Babylonish garment, (which might therefore have seemed to excuse Israel,) but openly and in the sight of the Sun, like Zimri and Cosbi in the open tent? If it were so heinous to steal privily a wedge of gold, and silver, of so small value in comparison, which though it were sacrilege, yet the Tabernacle of the Lord was not as yet possessed of them: what then had it been, even with a high hand of sacrilege & simony, in every corner & high mountain of Israel, to rob and cheat God of his portition and Patrimony, the only Leviticall inheritance for his ministry, to the great desolation of many thousand souls in Israel? What if Israel herein had been guilty? How would they have weighed such stolen sacred wedges in the balance of the sanctuary? What a snare would they have found it, to have devoured so much sanctified, and after the vow so to have inquired?  
Again, if one Achans dissimulation were so heinous, how then had the condition of Israel been, if her fairest face, and most beautiful body had been covered over with hypocrisy, as with a leprosy, so that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, there had been no sound part? In a word, if it were imputed to Israel for such a heinous sin, that Achan mingled the Babylonish garment with Israel's stuff, then how had Israel's case stood, if Babylonish lees had been by prodigious achan's mingled among Israel's pure wine, if Canaanitish heresies had been not only put with, but for, and in stead of Israel's most precious stuff, her purest doctrines? If these had been Israel's sins, no marvel if they had caused Israel's affairs to far so ill; no marvel if they had caused Israel's GOD to estrange himself from Israel, and to take the Canaanites part against her; no marvel if they had caused Israel to be contemned of the Canaanite, to whom she was wont to be terrible, and accounted invincible; no marvel if they had caused GOD not to go out with Israel's Armies, to suffer his Truth to be trampled on, yea to threaten utter desolation and dereliction, as v. 12.  
Is Israel's case no better? Poor Israel, what wilt thou do? Fast and pray? It is high time indeed. For Israel hath sinned. But yet the Lord bids joshua▪ and the Elders of Israel to rise up from their prostrations, because Israel had sinned. Why so? For, as we have showed, something else is required besides a Fast, to purge Israel's fault. What is that? The Lord showeth v. 13. etc. Up, sanctify the people, and say, sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. In the morning therefore ye shall be brought, etc. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing, shall be burnt with fire, he, and all that he hath, because etc. In these words of GOD to joshua, is first set down the cause of Israel's discomfiture, the accursed thing: Secondly, The ill condition of Israel, until this cause be removed; no standing for them before their Enemies. These we have already handled. Thirdly, a direction to joshua, for the finding out of the Delinquent, and for his punishment: He and his, must all perish. 4ly Israel must be sanctified, to fit them for the execution. This sanctification was partly external & ceremonial in the body, 
Exod. 19 14. 15  by washing their clothes, or abstinence from pleasures; partly internal by faith and repentance, signified by the external. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  The word also in the original, for to sanctify, signifying also to prepare. So that the Israelites were now to prepare themselves in holiness, for the execution of a notable piece of justice, wherein all the people was to have a hand. Before they were to inquire into, and punish another's sins, they must first purge themselves of their own sins. As Christ saith in the Gospel, concerning the adulterous woman, to those that accused her, He among you that is without sin, cast the first stone at her: So that they that are to cast a stone at Achan, must first be sanctified & cleansed from their sins, by faith and repentance. Also in this their sanctification they might be understood to have commended themselves and the cause to God, with prayer, that God would find out for them the Troubler of Israel, that he would bless and direct the lot for that end.  
And here is a good lesson for all judges and Iurers, and Executioners of justice, in matters of life and death, that they be sanctified first themselves by faith, and repentance, before they pass their verdict upon others.  
Otherwise without this sanctification and due preparation, for men to rush upon the censuring and punishing of others sins, is the way to bring God's displeasure upon themselves. We have a famous example hereof in the Israelites themselves, when they were to take revenge upon the Tribe of Benjamin, 
judg. 19▪ 20.  for that foul fact committed by a few sons of Belial upon the Levites wife, but much more, (which aggravated the fact beyond measure) for the Beniamites not only not punishing of it, but countenancing and defending it. That the rest of the Tribes all combined as one man to punish such an unheard of impiety, and insolency, even in their brethren the Beniamites, no doubt, was both laudable with men, and acceptable with God. Insomuch as they consulting with God, 
jud. 20.  had his direction & approbation. Their consulting with God was good and requisite, and the only way to speed well in their enterprise. Yet (which is to be well noted) they prospered not against Benjamin, till they had throughly sanctified themselves. For, First their consulting with God, was not whether they should go up against Benjamin, or no; but having resolved on it among themselves, they ask of GOD, which of the Tribes shall go up first? here was yet no due sanctification of Israel to prepare them to the battle, and so they sped accordingly; for the first day, the joint Tribes lost twenty and two thousand chosen men. A fearful discomfiture. Well, they reinforce the battle the second day, but withal go a little more warily to work, than before. They weep before the Lord until even, which was a good piece of a public Fast. And good reason they had to weep, that had lost so many of the thousands and worthies of Israel. But this as yet was but a carnal weeping. Yet they ask counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my Brother? And the Lord said, Go up against him. Yet for all this, Israel was foiled the second day, and lost again 18 thousand men. Why? Did not the Lord bid them go? Yes: For the Lord would be avenged on the obstinate Beniamites. How then came the Tribes to be beaten again? Surely as yet they had not duly sanctified themselves. So that, though the Lord bade them go, yet, because they had not sanctified themselves, the Lord as yet makes them no promise of good success. But upon this second disaster, than all the children of Israel, and all the people went up, & came into the House of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord; and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings, and peace offerings before the Lord. This is to the purpose indeed. here is a second Fast, not only public, but general, of all the children of Israel, and all the people, of all ages, and sexes, and not only the swordmen, and men of war. They come to the House of God, they weep, they fast till even, yea they offer burnt offerings, and peace offerings. All which together was a due and orderly sanctification of Israel, when to their weeping and fasting they added burnt offerings, and peace offerings, whereby they made their atonement and peace with God, for all their own sins. Well, having thus sanctified themselves, what followeth? They withal ask counsel of the Lord, whether they should go up again, against Benjamin, or surcease. Still it was Israel's constant course to ask counsel of the Lord in all their erterprises, to take their God-speed with them. And now the Lord not only bids them go, but giveth them his express promise to deliver Benjamin into their hands, which he did not before. It is not enough to ask counsel of God, but to obtain his favour and promise for good speed in our undertake. And we are sure of his blessing upon us, if first our enterprise be just & warrantable, as this of Israel's was: and if withal it be undertaken with a good conscience, seeking therein the glory of God principally, having first humbled ourselves before him, consulted the Oracle of his Word, offered him burnt offerings and peace offerings, by renewing our faith and repentance, to be at peace with God. All this done, we have God on our side, his blessing and Promise attends our Erterprises. Now Israel being first throughly sanctified, go on, and prosper in the execution of justice upon their refractory and too too audaciously insolently impious Brethren, as we see in the rest of the Chapter.  
Would Israel then proceed well, and prosper in their execution of justice upon those that trouble Israel? Israel must be sanctified first from her own sins by fasting and prayer, by faith, and repentance, by consulting with GOD, by seeking his glory in all. Then Israel, go on, and prosper; the day is thine. Otherwise, Israel doth but puzzle and perplex herself with solicitous, industrious, but unsuccessful undertake. Even obstinate Benjamin gets the better of his better Brethren, seeking his reformation, before they were duly sanctified to take a just revenge.  
Now Israel, thou fastest, thou prayest, thou weepest, thou lamentest thy unhappy successes at home and abroad; thou wouldst fain have cured the main cause (as thou imaginest) and have procured thine own peace and contentment. But thou hast laboured in vain; thy best purposes and intendments for Israel's good have been frustrate. But examine the cause of all this. Hast thou been sufficiently sanctified, when thine Elders were assembled? Yes, you prayed▪ you mourned, you desired at least a solemn fast for your good speed. But did you therein seek God's glory first? Yes. But did you offer your peace offerings, seeking your peace with God in the purgation of your own sins, even the sins which not a little trouble Israel? What be those? In special Sacrilege and Simony, the great corrupters of Church and Religion. The one hath swept away the maintenance from Ministers: the other hath turned Ministers into Merchants: and both together cause prophesyings to fail, the people to perish, and Idolatry to spread itself. The authors and actors of these, are Israel's achan's, enough to alienate God from his people. But you were about good Laws to cure their maladies, so far as the iniquity of the times would suffer; by restoring at least some part of the long detained portion of Tithes, Gods own inheritance, which might be some competent pittance to maintain a painful Minister: & by restraining (if possible) the Leprosy of Simony from tainting the small remnant of the levitical body, least armed necessity should enforce either honest men to purchase the Church with money, or to permit thieves & robbers to possess all, entering into the sheepfold another way. This you aimed at. And why did it not succeed well? It was among other things thought of. What if it had been not only thought of, but concluded & enacted, not among, but before all other things? Dimidium facti qui benè coepit, habet. A thing well begun, is half done. The heathen began always their great reformations & erterprises with GOD; they were first for Religion, then for the Republic. Omnia post Religionem ponenda semper nostra Civitas duxit; 
Val. Max. lib. 1. cap. 1. de Religione.  saith one of Heathen Rome. Our City ever judged all things to be ranked after Religion. A jove principium Musae, sang the Poet. And, Dii caeptis aspirate meis, etc. should not Israel much more? Did the Shunamite lose any thing by serving the Prophet first of her handful of meal, and poor remnant of oil in her ●ruse, notwithstanding her present extremity? Yea, hath it not been the ancient customs of Parliaments in England, ever to begin not only to treat, but to conclude of, and settle the state of Religion, before matters of the Republic came to be handled? If we revolve the Annals of those ancient times of Egyptian darkness, & ignorance, in comparison of the present resplendent light of Israel, we shall find therein such noble steps of piety towards God in this kind, as may make our Israel to blush, if it do not kindle an emulous zeal of imitation in a parallel at the least. Let me for the purpose here insert the words of that precious Bishop jewel. 
Defence of the Apology, Part. 6. chap. 2. Divis. 1. pag. 5 22. Princed 1611.  Neither is it (saith he) so strange a matter to see Ecclesiastical matters debated in Parliament. Read the Laws of King Inas, King Alfred, King Edward, King Athelstane, King Edmund, King Edgar, King Canute; and ye shall find that our godly forefathers the Princes & Peers of this Realm, never vouchsafed to entreat of matters of Peace, or war, or otherwise, touching the common state, before all controversies of Religion, and causes Ecclesiastical had been concluded. King Canute in his Parliament holden at Winchester upon Christmas day, after sundry laws & orders made, touching the Faith, the keeping of holy-days, public prayers, learning of the Lords Prayer, Receiving the Communion thrice in the year, the manner and form of Baptism, Fasting, and other matters of Religion; in the end thereof saith thus: jam sequitur Institutio legum saecularium. Now followeth an order for Temporal Laws.  
Thus we see (saith the good Bishop) that the godly Catholic Princes in old times thought it their duty before all other affairs of the Commonweal, first to determine matters of Religion, and that even by the Parliaments of this Realm.  
Such were the ancient Princes and Elders of this Kingdom in times past. Their care of Religion in the first place in their Parliaments, was the only way to bring on the better success for their Civil affairs. Wherein also the reverend Prelates furthered all good Acts by their counsel, when required, although they had not negative voices in Parliament; 
Part. 3. within two leaves of the end.  as D jewel in the foresaid place, and also Bishop Bilson in his book of Christian subjection, and Antichristian Rebellion, do plainly show; the Parliaments of this Land having ever had this power as well in matters of Religion, as of civil Policy, to establish good and wholesome Laws for both. Not that our Parliaments have power to make new Articles of the Faith, to establish what Religion they please; but it is in their power, yea and their duty too, taking the Word of God for their guide and rule, to establish the true Religion taught therein, and to abolish all false Religions contrary thereunto. Where then should a Parliament begin but with God, but with Religion, if ever they look that GOD should give a happy success to their civil affairs therein? Especially the Parliaments of these our times, wherein the clouds of Pelagian heresy, mounting to the top of man's airy imagination, by casting a false shadow upon the pure doctrines of the Church of England, derived unto us from the Fountains of Scripture, by the Conduits of the prime Reformers of Religion, and continued unto us ever since by the vninterrupted pipes of the most learned and illustrious Martyrs, Prelates, and Doctors of our Church, would bring our Meridian light of the Gospel, to a twilight, by intermingling with it the Egyptian fogs of the Church of Rome. So that if our Parliaments would repair the ruinated Edifice of the Republic, let them begin to make good, and strengthen the main pillars and Foundation whereon it standeth, and that is, God's Temple, Religion, which through undermining pioneers is shrewdly shaken, who go about to erect the tower of Babel instead thereof. In the Name of GOD therefore (pardon by boldness: some must speak out, else the stones would cry; yet I take not upon me to teach the Elders of Israel; They can best judge of what I say; and the Lord give them understanding in all things) whensoever the Elders of Israel shall meet again in Parliament, (and I trust God will put it into the heart of our joshua in due time to summon a Parliament for the glory of God, and the good of Israel) I trust to see both joshua and the Elders of Israel agree in one in the first place to establish the Religion of Christ, so long and happily hitherto avowed and maintained in the Church of England. The establishment whereof necessarily dependeth upon the abolishment of two main troublers of Israel, to wit, Antichristian Idolatry, and Arminian heresy. While these two stand, never let Israel look for any good. To omit many godly Kings of Israel, as jehosnaphat, Ezechiah, josiah, who destroying Idolatry, prospered: remarkable is the example of Asa, who in rooting out of Idolatry, 
2. Chron. 15. & 16.  spared not his own Mother Maachah, removing her from being Queen, because she had made an Idol in a grove, and Asa cut down her Idol, and stamped it, and burned it. Insomuch as King Asa prospered in war, and his Land had peace to the 35 year of his reign, until he made a league with the King of Syria, not relying on the Lord, and being depraved by Hanani the Seer, he put him in prison, and oppressed some of the people. Again, so long as Arminian books are unpurged, and the Truth unprivileged to pass abroad, your Parliaments O Israel, cannot prosper, To the repurgation of these, if you add out of every Impropriation a sufficient maintenance to the Ministry, if you castigate Simony (if possible) by some wise & godly restrictions better executed; if with these reformations you conclude your first Session of Parliament, without any mixture of your own civil matters, all other grievances shall fall mole sua, as the walls of jericho at the voice of the rams horns: Our joshua shall be honoured with subsidiary streams of love & duty, flowing from the hearts of the best subjects in the World, out of whose oary bowels the King of England may dig richer Metals, than the King of Spain can out of all his Indies. The King of England's Subjects will for love sweat his Majesty more gold, than all the King of Spain's poor slaves can for fear dig out of the bowels of their senseless mother-earth: this done, I say, what can be reciprocally desired either of the Subjects by the King, or of the King by his Subjects, that shall not have a full confluence, each striving to satisfy other with all wished contentments? God's cause being first acquitted, and our Mother-Church of England asserted to her own ancient Catholic Tenants, than joshua and the Elders, and all Israel with them shall from their celestial Father, and their spiritual Mother receive such a blessing, as shall be admired of all their friends, envied of all their enemies.  
And you Lady Metropolis of Israel, the beloved City, the darling Mount Zion, when you send your Agent-Burgesses to join with Israel's great assembly, as you look to have a part in the blessing thereof. Be persuaded to sanctify yourselves, and reform your City-Achans. Search them out; you need not lanterns for it. Your love and liberality to the Gospel, and to the Ministry thereof, both at home and abroad, cannot be paralleled by any Church in any age. Only your achan's, as so many clouds, eclipse the glory, and (otherwise) the unstained beauty thereof. A little leaven (ye know) leaveneth the whole lump. Purge it out therefore, that ye may be altogether a new lump. This we heartily desire, even your perfection.  
Now then O Israel, you have had your fast, ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified from your own particular sins by your faith testified by your repentance, and the truth of your repentance testified by your reformation; now you are clear and clean, but not all. In the next place, ye are to find out the achan's, that trouble Israel, lest ye be all wrapped in Achans sin. So did joshua and the Elders of Israel; after their own humiliation, after their sanctification of the people, the very next morning early they go about to find out the Troubler of Israel.  
First note Ioshua's diligence and vigilancy with the Elders and people of Israel to execute justice. They rose early in the morning. And good reason. Delay is dangerous in such cases; it might have hastened many bad consequences; for now the newly fleshed Canaanites might have won time to confederate, and band against Israel, while God's displeasure was not removed. Besides, delay and neglect in doing justice brings the judges within the compass of Accessaries.  
For as he that prevents not a sin in another when he may, commits it: so he that punisheth it not, when he may and aught, defends it, and makes it more his own. But prudent and provident joshua, with the Elders of Israel, and the people, prevent the danger of delay▪ they rise early in the morning.  
But how do they go about the scruting to find out the troubler of Israel? Achan with his Babylonish garment, and wedges, were lurking in the Tent, among the thousands of Israel. He had conveyed his Sacrilege and theft so cleanly, by his dissimulation, as no man was privy to it, to accuse him▪ Who then shall find him out? yes, the Lord takes this task upon him. And where the Lord makes the search, 
Psal. 44. 20. 1.  what place for lurking? If we have forforgotten the name of our God, and holden up our hands to any strange God. Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart, saith David. But by what means doth God search out Achan? By a strange and admirable means, even by lot, a thing of itself of a casual and contingent nature, yet which the all disposing God can command to produce the most certain effects of his own will. 
1. Sam. 10.  Thus by lot he elected Saul for King, among all the Tribes of Israel, from among all the families of Benjamin, after that Samuel had already by God's assignment anointed him. 
1. Sam. 14.  Thus by lot was jonathan, Saul's son, found out, for but tasting a little honey. Yea God can make the fowls of the air to reveal the most hidden sin.  
Well, joshua following the Lord's direction, finds out Achan by lot. This done, note Ioshuah's behaviour to Achan vers. 19 My Son, give I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him, and tell me now, what thou hast done, hide it not from me. joshua here like a tender-hearted Father useth a Fatherly compellation to Achan, My Son. He breaks not out into sudden anger and passion, now to add more terror to Achans conscience, or to show the greatness of his own authority. For what need authority and power be armed with impotent hasty passion? And it is the gentle Sunbeam, not the rough wind, that causeth the offender to lay aside the cloak of dissimulation. It is the goat's milk of mild mercy, not the hard stroke of the hammer, that dissolves the adamantine heart. It is the warm fire of loving entreaty, not the frost of a frowning brow, that causeth the icy obdurate conscience to melt, & drop into tears. It was the soft still voice, not the whirlwind, & earthquake, that caused Elias to cover his face and his mouth. My son, was the seemeliest rack for joshua to use, whereby gently to draw confession from Achan. For joshua was Pater Patriae, the Father of Israel God's people, the affection whereof he puts not off, while now he puts on the office of judge. Mercy and truth preserve the King (saith Solomon) and his throne is upholden by mercy: mercy & truth are the two supporters of the King's Arms. The herb Basil (a proper emblem for a Prince) gently stroked on the hand, yields a pleasant smell: but crushed upon it, unsavoury.  
My Son, saith joshua. What then? Give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him, etc. The first thing that joshua seeks, is the glory of the Lord God of Israel. How? By Achans confession. How should that redound to God's glory? Yes: three ways in Achan: first, by showing the Lord to be just and true in finding him out thus miraculously by lot; while Achan confessed himself to be the man thus divinely pointed out. Secondly, by a faithful, humble, and penitent confession of his sin against God and his people, to the end, God might glorify his mercy in pardoning his soul, though his justice in punishing his body. Thirdly, that God's act in Israel's discomfiture might appear to all the world to be upon just cause.  
Nor doth joshua here remit Achan to make his private auricular confession to the Priest. For so Achans sin had never come to light; but had gone close mantled under the stole and seal of confession. So had God lost his glory two ways: First by achan's private confession, in stead of a public: Secondly, by taking his absolution from a Priest, which none can give, but God only. Therefore, saith joshua, Give glory to the Lord God of Israel, & make confession unto him.  
here note, that a public sin must have a public confession to God's glory.  
Objection. But Achans sin was private.  
Answ. Though it were privately committed, yet by being publicly punished by the divine hand, God had now branded it for a public sin. Thus did God make David's sin public by an exemplary punishment, which he had committed privately. 
2. Sam. 12. 12.  And therefore to glorify God in the public confession of it, how many penitential Psalms did David pen and leave recorded, as monuments of his own frailty, and God's mercy.  
Well: upon Ioshua's fatherly exhortation, Achan maketh confession of all, v. 20. 21. This was the way for Achan to find mercy with the Lord, even in the midst of justice..  
Upon Achans confession, 
V. 22. etc.  joshua presently sends, and finding all to be true, he and all Israel speed them to the execution, for the making up of Israel's breach again. Note here, though joshua tendered him as a father the son, yet this his affection to Achan did not make joshua to forget he was a judge, to do justice, in so weighty a cause, that so highly concerned God's glory, and Israel's good; yea although Achan were one of the Tribe-royall, namely of juda, a great Prince in Israel, yet impartial justice must proceed against him, for the expiation of that sin, which troubled Israel: Insomuch as joshua saith unto him: Why hast thou troubled us. The Lord shall trouble thee this day.  
Again, note the severity of justice in the punishment of Achans sin; not only himself, but his sons and daughters, his oxen and Asses, his sheep and tent and all that he had, 
Vers. 15.  were by the Commandment of the Lord stoned with stones by all Israel, & burned with fire in the valley of Anchor; so called upon that occasion in perpetuam rei memoriam. The valley of trouble; because he had troubled Israel. Nor may this piece of justice seem unjust. 
Vers. 16.  First, because god commanded it. And shall not the judge of all the world do right? His judgements are often secret, but never unjust. Yea reason makes for the approving of it. For he that by his sin troubled all Israel, and brought them in danger of destruction, did he not justly pull destruction upon himself, and his whole house, to be executed by all Israel? Nor goeth this example alone. The like we see executed upon Chorah and his company Numb. 16. Here an end then of Achan and his sin.  
What follows? A happy success for Israel. For, vers. 26. No sooner was the heap of stones raised over Achan, but God's favour like the Sun from under a thick cloud breaks forth afresh to Israel's comfort. So (saith the Text) the Lord turn à from the fierceness of his anger. And for proof hereof, ye have Israel's victory over Ai. Chap. 8. And that by a stratagem of the Lords own devising, to take away from the Chanaanites all conceit, that Israel fled away at the first for fear, but rather in policy to entice them out afterwards, and so utterly with more rage to destroy them: as the reader may observe by Israel's second flying of purpose to enclose the Aians'.  
Whence note first, that stratagemmes in war are lawful, as to fly for advantage, to lie in ambush and the like; yet not to lie for advantage. Faith once made must be kept with the Chanaanites, 
josh. 9  as joshua did with the Gibeonites; though they were justly made Israel's slaves and drudges, for their false dealing, pretending to come from a far country showing their mouldy bread and old shoes, as Papists make ostentation of their mouldy pretended antiquity. So that only the league with the Gibeonites stood firm (though with qualification as is noted) because both it was done of ignorance (the Lord not being foreconsulted) a dangerous and disgraceful thing for Israel, to enter into leagues, and not ask counsel of the Lord) and also it was done not by joshua alone but all the Princes and Elders of Israel with him ratifyed it, 
josh. 9 15.  with common consent and oath. And it was the more firm, because they becoming Israel's servants, were thereby brought of necessity to be of Israel's Religion.  
Again, note from the Lords stratagem for Israel's victory, that when Israel pleaseth the Lord, he not only giveth them power, but prudence also and godly policy to deal with, and overcome their enemies. It is a bad sign, and bodes little good to Israel, when Israel manageth not their affairs by good counsel. It was one of the curses of Elies' house, that there should not be an old man in it. But Israel is ever in good state, while guided by grave counsel. It is a token of God's blessing upon Israel: otherwise of a curse: For, Quos perdere vult Deus, hos prius dementat. And a woe is to that land, whose Rulers are children as the wise man saith.  
In a word, Israel now prospereth, whithersoever their armies march; now, that Achans sin, which troubled Israel, is purged out: Now that the Babylonish garment, with the relics of Canaanitish idolatry is purged with fire, as Rome was wont to purge Israel's Saints & Martyrs: Now, that the golden wedge of sacrilege is expiated by a kind of restitution. Now, doth God go forth with Israel's armies: Now may Israel say boldly, Exurgat Deus, dissipentur inimici, stamping it not in their coin, but in their colours: Now, less Navies by Sea, less Armies by land shall be terrible to the enemy, which before returned home in their derision. Now shall one of Israel chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight: For their Rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. 
Deut. 32.   
Thus have we seen Israel's fast, and Israel's fact. Israel's discomfiture moved joshua and the Elders of Israel to a fast: their fast so piously performed, moved the Lord to stir them up to remove the cause of Israel's trouble: the cause being removed, made Israel prosperous in all their erterprises. Thus Israel do, thus Israel have; which the God of Israel grant to his Israel, for the intercession of Israel's joshua▪ at Gods right hand, even jesus Christ, to whom with the Father, and their Spirit, three Persons and one everliving God be rendered of Israel, as most due, all honour and glory, power and praise, dignity and dominion for evermore Amen.  
FINIS.