Jehojadah's justice AGAINST MATTAN, Baal's PRIEST: OR THE COVENANTERS JUSTICE AGAINST IDOLATERS.  
A SERMON preached upon occasion of a SPEECH, uttered upon Tower-Hill.  
Wherein you may find his likeness to Mattan rather than to Christ.  
His place in John 11.48. charged upon himself.  
The weakness of the choice of his Text.  
How great cause we have to give thanks.  
By J. H. Minister of the Gospel.  JUDGES 5. 31. 
So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might: And the Land had rest forty years.  
LONDON; Printed by M. Simmons for Henry Overton, and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head-Alley. 1645.   

TO THE RIGHT worshipful sergeant WILD; J. H. wisheth grace and peace in CHRIST JESUS.  
WORTHY PATRIOT,  
THe life we live we live in God, happy is the improvement of that life that is lift up to him, and to his ways. It is a glory (above the crown) of the worthy Kings of Judah, that they prepared their hearts to seek the Lord. What's the life of man without comfort? And what greater comfort doth man enjoy in life, but his communion with God? The life of the best is but a pilgrimage; and a life of service lies upon every man; though the race be short, employment attends it; if a servant neglect his Lord's affairs, he had the honour to be called a servant, but lost his glory for casting by his industry; how sweet is their peace that know their Lord's command, and cheerfully take up his charge? Every man is at work, but many mistake their Master's business, they do their own, and put his name upon it. Servants that love to walk in the dark, are unfit to attend upon the Lord of light; light and darkness have nocommunion. This present age affords us full testimony: how do the deeds of darkness vanish, that past without control not long ago, which in this time of trial will not endure the touchstone? Men's confidence of their actions is no ground of their justice, the Judge will search him out that seemeth just in his own cause, nor must the Judges, or those that assist them in advancing Justice, be discouraged, though the impeached challenge them of unjust proceeding. Who shall be innocent, if the condemned's test may be sufficient to fix a crime?  
Sir, I reckon it a part of your honour, that God hath conferred upon you, to be an instrument to bring so great an offender to justice, rather than to be ensnared by him. You served our Lord Christ in helping to subdue a mountain of ambition; you have suffered for your love and endeavour, to establish a throne for Christ, and a throne for the King in righteousness: your labour of love will not be forgotten; your work is with your God, and your reward in the Lord's hand. go on and prosper, and God that hath made the evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous, make you every day more successful.  
If this ensuing Subject may yield any refreshing to your spirit, or provoke the church of Christ to exalt their Lord's glory, and sanctify his glorious Name that hath delivered us from so great a burden; my spirit hath rest; rejoicing in the God of our salvation; waiting for further manifestation of greater consolation. The God of peace fill you with comfort in believing, and preserve you to his heavenly kingdom.  
Your Worships in all service of love;   

Jehojadah's JUSTICE UPON MATTAN, Baal's PRIEST.  2 CHRON. 23. 16, 17. 
And Jehojadah made a Covenant between him and all the people, and between the King, that they should be the Lord's people.  
Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and broke it down, and broke his Altars and his Images in pieces, and slew Mattan the Priest of Baal before the Altars.  
IN this History we have a clear discovery of God's faithfulness to David, in keeping promise, which was to support his throne by a supply of issue, out of which descent the Lord Christ was to arise. Here was now but one life for the house of David to hold by, and that a tender one in his nurse's hands, hunted after by a bloody persecutress, who thought she had made him as sure as his brethren; and so to have devolved the State of Judah to the kingdom of Israel, thereby to have made void the Lord's Grant. But God had delivered him to more faithful hands, who virtuously bred him, and in time brought him forth, anointing him before all the people; And after Athaliahs' life had satisfied for the Kings, than Jehojadah drew the people into a Covenant.  
National mercies should draw a people to renew Covenant 
Observ.  with their God, it hath in it a testimony of thankfulness as well as a binding act to obedience. So that the omitting of it would proclaim us guilty of swallowing down more mercies than we are thankful for. If it be doubted, whether it be not too forward to covenant till our mercies are more completed; you may observe a people entering into Covenant with God, when they were in expectation of mercies; when the people waited for the settling of the ark, Samuel binds them to put away their strange Gods, and Astaroth, and prepare to serve the Lord only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines, and they did, and served the Lord only, 1 Sam. 7.3, 4.  
By this we see there is Scripture-ground for a national Covenant, when our mercies are made up, or coming; by which a people bind themselves unto a straight communion with God, and to abjure all false ways. When we esteem the precepts of God so high, as that concerning all things they are right, than we must hate every false way, Psal. 119. 128. He that would raise his heart to such a degree of walking in covenant with God, shall do well to meditate David's example, Psal. 119. 105. to the 112. He sets up God's Word for his lamp at home, and lantern abroad; he is resolved to walk by no light but Gods; to fasten the bond of that resolution, that he may perform and keep, he binds himself by an oath to observe righteous judgements without diversion; but now he must walk between strivings within and reproaches without: I am afflicted very much, there the carnal mind grudgeth against strictness; My soul is continually in my hand, his life in jeopardy to preserve his conscience pure.  
In this conflict he makes his address to God.  
1. For quickening grace, that he may live and hold on his progress according to his Covenant.  
2. For accepting grace, that he may find in his spirit that he is approved of God in his way.  
3. For feeding grace, that he may still be taught the things that he knoweth not.  
4. For preserving grace; Lord, said he, the snare of the wicked is laid for me; I have not yet erred; keep me by thy strength.  
5. He exerciseth discerning grace, and approves his choice of God to be the best heritage, and his testimonies the rejoicing of his heart.  
6. He acteth a powerful inclination upon his heart continually, that he may keep up the grace of perseverance.  
By all this we may inform ourselves of three things.  
1. That Covenanting to cleave to God is the work of such as love communion with God.  
2. There ariseth great hatred in the world, against them that gather themselves into so strict a bond of walking with God.  
3. There is no possibility of keeping faithfulness and truth with God in Covenant, against which there is so great opposition, but by a daily renewing of communion with God, and drawing near to him for a constant supply of grace of all sorts, to uphold us against the snares that are laid to bring us to apostasy. But this may suffice for the 16th verse.  
Now followeth the operations and working of the Covenant, they turn reformers presently, and fall to work with Baal's house.  
Here we may observe; God's Covenant will not admit communion 
Observ.  with Idolatry or Idolaters: the more the heart is leavened and sweetened with the Covenant, the more it abhorreth both itself and others, whatsoever derogateth from God's glory. And that it may appear to be the duty of a people that are entered into Covenant with God, to act their zeal in rooting all that is odious unto, and that offendeth God, is evident by that in Deut. 12.30, 31. lest the people that were the Lords by Covenant should be ensnared, God forbids them to inquire how the Nations served their gods; for God was wise enough to give them the dress of his worship, without borrowing national rites of the Heathens; therefore the Lord makes a perpetual act to destroy all their places of worship; he puts words enough in the act without any proviso, Mountains, Hills, green Trees, Altars, Pillars, Groves, Graven Images, utterly destroy their names out of that place. But suppose a Prophet should rise up and prophecy in Baal, and teach the way of error, what shall be done to him, must he be destroyed too? Chap. 13. 5. That Prophet shall be put to death, because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God; So shall ye put evil from amongst you. But what if son, or daughter, wife, or friend, go about to seduce? its death without pity, ver. 8. When the people consented to Elijah, that the Lord was God; Then, said he, take the Prophets of Baal, let not one of them escape. I grant, men in hypocrisy may show a fiery disposition against false worshippers, as Jehu did, but it was not the effect of an holy Covenant, nor the fruit of a well ordered faith, but a work of the flesh, and a politic envy against Ahab's way of worship, to win the more credit to that bloody act of murdering the whole race of the King's sons. But if you observe the Text here, it is the fruit of their Covenant, and not out of pride or private spleen.  
More especially we may consider;  
First, What they did; They went to the house of Baal; So they 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉  had before, but now they are of another heart; before they went a-whoring after Baalim from the Lord, but now they went with zeal and courage for the Lord of Hosts, to destroy and to demolish whatsoever had been a snare to them before: This lesson is evident for our instruction.  
It is no shame for men to desert, forsake, and abominate, that 
Observ.  which in former time was embraced, when God shall reveal unto us that it is a snare to our perdition: it is no error to forsake an error. If a man walking after the frame of a carnal heart, had wholly neglected the sanctifying of himself and his family, by a total omission of calling upon God, be now convinced that he cannot escape the pouring out of God's wrath upon him and his family; it will be his shame to persist in his slothful neglect, but his glory to raise up himself, and return to God. Some men count forsaking of lying vanities and superstition, fickleness and wavering; this is a method of the Serpent, to hinder conversion, to accuse the growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, to be instability, whereas the Apostle urgeth it as a special help to keep up steadfastness.  
Secondly, The time when they went: It doth not relate so much 
Consid. 2.  to the time of the day or the year, nor the precise day nor year, as from the time that they entered into Covenant. It doth not appear whether it were the same day, or on the morrow, or at what set season, but after they had been at the house of the Lord to renew their Covenant, they went to the house of Baal.  
When God gives covenant-light, men ought to walk with God 
Observ.  in covenant-strength: we must pray, and vote, and give, and contend, and in every thing act with covenant-zeal, and covenantfaith, and covenant-love, to exalt his glory who hath so often looked upon us with favour. I say, from that time that we renew our faith and love to God by Covenant, we solemnly protest to walk after God with strength, and to stir up our whole might to serve the Lord against the mighty impediments that oppose his glory. When Paul was gathered unto Christ, out of the wild wast of such as trusted in themselves, his lot was for a season to refresh himself in Athens; time was he had an Athenian wit, & could have jeered with the nimblest, but being in covenant with Christ, he acts with covenant zeal for Christ, his spirit was moved when he saw their superstition. When God hath revealed unto us the glory of the Lord Christ, and that the striving of men is but to oppose the brightness of his rising: the virtue of our covenant clothes with a strength to resist oppugners of our Lord's throne. Jehojada haply might pity Mattan as he was an Israelite; but when an Israelite should turn Baalists, justice must proceed. Covenanters are tender of their Lord's honour, they can bear with any thing but what pollutes his name, and Worship, and that standeth against his glory. When we are girded unto God by covenant, we should look upon ourselves as Temples of the holy Ghost; if any defile the Temple of God, as the body by drunkenness or whoredom, the tongue by blasphemy or contempt, him will God destroy in fury for breach of covenant: with what furious rebukes suppose ye will he proceed against them, that cast from them his covenant, and depart from him? Increase in covenant-light, that ye may renew in covenant-strength.  
Thirdly, who went; All the people; for all were entered into 
Consid. 3.  covenant, they had all vowed obedience unto God, to live and die together in the cause of God, therefore they went as one man, the ruler's zeal gave life to the people to take courage to follow their example; as it is reported of David, that whatsoever the King did, pleased all the people, 2 Sam. 3.36.  
They that enter into covenant with God, enter into a mutual 
Observ.  covenant one with another, to walk with one heart toward the Lord. Ezra 10.4. Arise, for the matter belongeth unto thee, we also will be with thee. They that were for Christ after his resurrection and ascension, were altogether with one accord in one place. These are the days wherein God will assemble the Kingdoms, to pour out upon them his indignation: but than he promiseth to the people that engage themselves to him by covenant, to turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, and serve him with one consent, Zeph. 3.8, 9 The Lord is one, his worship is one, our covenant is one, ought not then our hearts to agree in one? If men in covenant divide against themselves, and despise one another, for the rage of their tongues Egypt shall deride them, Hos. 7.16. There is nothing divides men so much as when either they strangle a public heart in the crowd of private interests, in seeking to secure self, and leaving the public to hazard. If we let Gideon conquer, thinks the house of Ephraim, we shall eclipse our glory, Judg. 8.1. Or else, when all consent not to put away detestable things, when one part is to put them away, another to keep them, hence grows the strife, Ezek. 11.18, 19, 20, 21. They that are of one heart, will keep God's ordinances, but they whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things, are liable to answer God's vengeance for their contempt.  
The fourth circumstance is, what they did at the house of Baal. They did not gaze about, lamenting, and crying pity that a thing of that cost should in one instant be demolished; that was a posture now fit for Babylonish Merchants, Rev. 18.16, 17. but they set to work with all their might, first, to demolish the house; next, to execute the Priest: the house they broke down, and the Altars and Images in pieces. The Priest they slew before the Altars, that were the delectable things of his heart: their eye did not spare, nor did they show pity upon any thing that had the face of Idolatry.  
A people covenanting for Reformation, must abolish all that is 
Observ.  idolatrous; So did Josiah, 2 King 23.4. Nehemiah found that Tobijah an Ammonite had gotten him a Chamber to lodge his household stuff in, within the Courts of the house of God: Now this was contrary to law: for an Ammonite might not come into the house of God for ever, therefore he cast him and his household stuff clean out, Nehem. 13.1. 8. For 1. God will not be served by the halves, Christ left not the work of redemption half done, and half undone; Agrippa was half a Christian and half a heathen, Laodicea was half a Church and half no Church, the work of salvation is a work that must be wrought out; and he that will keep the feast of Christ, must purge out all filthiness of flesh and spirit. 2. The house that is but half swept, is never clean, and a Church that is but half purged, is never pure. If a wife should leave many lovers, and retain but one beside her husband, that's brand enough of harlotry. 3. That which is left will make way for that which is cast out, to return: a stump of a broken tooth may put a man to as much pain as if the whole were hollow. 4. That which is cast out, will cry out of injustice, if as bade be reserved, favoured, and set up. Demolished abbeys are grieved that Cathedrals flourish in their ruins; and Cardinal's quarrel at that justice that casts them out, yet keep their Bishops in like Lordly honour. The heart that is prepared to exalt Christ and his glory, is fully bent to level every mountain that stands in the way to his glory.  
But if any demur and plead, We could willingly endeavour and rejoice to have all manner of superstition and Idolatry removed; but this slaying work is terrible, and men's lives are precious.  
It must be answered, 1. That malefactor's lives are not to be valued: 2. They that so plead, may as well say, I am weary of my gross sins, and I could wish they were all mortified, but might we not get a dispensation for that old man of a corrupt nature to be preserved in life? 3. Better one cut off, then that a whole Nation should incur the wrath of God for sparing one that is guilty. Cruelty is the judgement decreed against rebellion, Pro. 17.11. & 19 19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. Sin that is unpunished is as good as cherished. 4. The Law bindeth as well to judge the person that seduceth, as to condemn idolatry, Deut. 13.5. albeit Josiah spared the lives of the Priests of Judah, yet he slew all the Priests that belonged to the Idols of Samaria, 2 Kings 23. 9 20. When Hananiah had taught rebellion against the Lord, God put him to death, because men would not, Ierem. 28. 16. 17. There's ground therefore for this conclusion.  
A people that have covenanted to keep righteousness, and do 
Observ.  justice, must not spare when God condemneth. If therefore it shall be demanded why the Rulers, and all in covenant with them, should be so zealous and forward to have Mattan slain? It was not that they delighted to shed blood, as they that in their anger digged down a wall. Jehoiadah was not moved with emulation, as one that would be competitor with him for Court honour, which peradventure Baal's faction would suggest, that he put Mattan to death that he himself might rule as a Lord in his stead: but the truth is, God had given sentence Mattan should die, and they had covenanted to do justice.  
Object. It is a bitter covenant that binds men to shed blood.  
Answ. God's covenant is bitter against none but such as are rebellious.  
But what probable grounds were there why Mattan should be put to death?  
1. He was a Priest of Baal, and had taken Orders to serve those Idols, he was a professed idolater, which was death.  
2. He was Queen Athaliahs' favourite, and did strengthen and obdurate the Queen in her error.  
3. He was not content to infect Israel with idolatry, but came over into Judah, and sought to poison that State also, that under pretence of uniformity, he might join both kingdoms in apostasy.  
4. It is probable he was of counsel with Athaliah to make away the King, and afterwards to lay hands on the King's children; by affinity with Ahab's house, Ahaziah was persuaded to join in an unnecessary war, wherein he was slain, chap. 22. 9 and afterwards cruel hands seized on the King's children, hoping thereby to devolve the kingdom of Judah to Israel for want of issue.  
If it be objected, that that was Athaliahs' fact: It's like enough so, but though the fact be atttibuted to one that's eminent in the plot, yet it is probable that more were of counsel; and if any, it is very likely the Priest would not be left out of the conspiracy.  
5. It is probable he perished in impenitency, was proud and obstinate, without any remorse for his error, counting it honour to die before his Altars, and therefore excluded himself from mercy.  
6. It's probable he justified the way of the house of Ahab, and magnified that way of worship to be the only true pattern, opposing and scorning at the present Reformation that God had wrought by Jehojadah in the State of Judah, and thereby sought to kindle sedition in the people's heart, against those whom God had raised up to be their helpers. Now if these things were found in him, who could without injustice clear him from the sentence of death?  
Peradventure this or the like might be the plea that the Priest of Baal might use before his death: You the people of this city are very forward to break down the house of this worship, where formerly your Anoestors worshipped, and you yourselves not long since spent your devotions; but now you cry out upon the Rulers to break it down, and to shed the blood of the Prophets that taught you, but God will require it. To the former part it hath been said, that it is no error to turn from dumb idols to serve the living God, and that it is but just to demolish idols and their dens. To the latter clause let it be thus answered: If it had been righteous blood that had been shed, there had been cause to fear, or if they had favoured him whom God condemned, there had been equal danger: For he that condemneth the just, and he that justifieth the wicked, even both are abomination to the Lord: but to execute justice on them whom God hath sentenced to death, is no crime.  
Whereas that place of John 11. 48. is made use of, thus: Men are afraid, that if they let this man alone, the Romans will come, and that Popery will prevail, than they will take away our place and our nation: but it proved the contrary; for after they had put that man to death, than the Romans came and vanquished the city? 1. The place is alledgad to reproach the people that cry for reformation and justice; but the words are the high Priests, who was jealous his glory would not stand long, if Christ and his reformation were tolerated, and therefore rested not till he was crucified; and than the place is strong against the alledger; he that under pretence, if the people should believe in Christ, the Romans will come, take occasion to persecute Christ, and put him to death, lieth liable to the justice of God to be taken away himself. 2. It is true that Jerusalem was destroyed because it shed the blood of the Prophets, and of the Lord Jesus, but not for doing justice upon Mattan, Baal's Priest: upon you shall come all the righteous blood that hath been shed, but none of the idolatrous: men shall never answer God for that which is not a crime.  
Consider this, it may be this Priest of Baal had been the occasion of the death of many of God's messengers and servants, for opposing his idolatrous courses: as the high Priests were of the death of Christ, for they provoked the people to cry out upon Pilate that Christ might be crucified: now what way could people and Rulers take to free the nation from the guilt of the blood of God's servants, then to sacrifice him to God's justice who was the offender? which when they had done, the city was quiet, 2 Chron. 23. v. 21. Caiphas therefore hath spoken the truth in this sense, It is expedient that one man should die for the people, rather than that the whole nation perish by contracting the guilt of a malefactor.  
But suppose that Mattan should take it upon his death that his conscience cleared his innocency, and that he should comfort himself in the example of others that have suffered death.  
1. Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but God pondereth the spirit; Paul's conscience permitted him to make havoc of the Saints: was Paul therefore innocent? when he was converted he judged it persecution: what will it be then at God's tribunal?  
2. When God gives over men to impenitency, and to choose their delusions, answering according to the Idols and dreams of their own heart, they count it their great honour to live and die in their own principles; that which in the balance of the Sanctuary is obstinacy, they deem constancy, and reckon it the greatest shame that is, to confess the least guilt. As he that being urged to seek peace by the merits of Christ, when he was near his death, rejected the exhortation, crying out, that that was the way to overthrow all that they had built.  
3. It is the policy of the old Serpent, and his great advantage, to harden the condemned in their error, even unto death, as thereby to raise a scandal and hatred of their Judges, falsely suggesting to unstable minds, that those Judges cannot be innocent that condemn the guiltless: so likewise to obdurate the ignorant in their blindness, by beholding one persisting to death in maintenance of that which they think the truth.  
4. It is easy for men of learning to make use of any thing, but yet to come short of true comfort of things they know: malefactors and martyrs are not alike in their cause, though they are in their sufferings, strangers shall not intermeddle with their joy, Steven witnessed a good confession of Christ before his Judges; he that would run parallel in comfort at death, must hold equal race of integrity in life, else though the baptism be equally bloody, the resurrection will greatly differ.  
First, adore his divine Majesty, who hath magnified his onmipotent 
Application.  arm, and infinite wisdom in the sight of his people at this day; the believers in Zion will no doubt worship in heart, and exalt the Lord who hath done a marvellous and wonderful thing before the Saints, in one day he hath gotten himself the victory over Baal's house, images, worship and Priests; by one concurrent vote he hath cut off the terror of nations, and the prop where on he built his religion and worship. When God comes down in fury, he makes the mountains flow and tremble at his presence. Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor seen a God like thee that doth so prepare for him that waiteth for him, thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, but those that turn aside to crooked paths, the Lord leads forth with the evil doers, that he may shut the doors, and feast his Israel with peace. He looks too low that seeth no more than a man taken out of the way; the horse and his rider, the man and his pomp is descended; he who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and none hindereth; yea, the whole earth is at rest, and breaks forth into singing: for Lucifer the son of the morning, is cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations, Isai. 14.6.7. 12. Adore him who executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed.  
But secondly, let all the earth tremble before him, who is able to set his foot upon the high places of the earth, and to crush them and their power to nothing in a moment, a month shall devour them, he will famish all the gods of the earth, and the powers against him shall come to nought, he will subdue the mighty, and bring down the Spear-men, and scatter the people that delight in war: we worship him that can do good or evil, he can bring to the grave and make alive; he will make the evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The turning of things upside down are in his hands. It was Mattans yesterday, and to day Jehojadah's, Baal's lease was out, and now pure worship was at liberty, to run in its own channel. Improve freedom, and stand in awe, prize religion, and fear to provoke the Lord to cancel our free grant. Hitherto he hath brought us with great joy and trembling, strengthen steadfastness, lest he turn us back to the wilderness; let no man's heart fail him for the accusations of an enemy, that calls petitioners for justice seditious, and such as convince him of crime, to be witnesses that seduce the Judges, but hold on integrity, and love righteousness, and keep judgement at all times, Remember covenant.  
Thirdly, Acknowledge with heartiest thankfulness the loving kindness of the Lord, the goodness of our Lord Jesus to his Saints at this day. He hath snared the wicked by the work of their own hands, and in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, the Lordhath set himself above them: When the decree was sealed to cut off the Jews, there was general mourning, but when Haman becametheir ransom, there was great joy: The righteous shall rejoice when be seeth the vengeance; and when he washeth his feet in the blood of the wicked, he shall say, There is a reward for the righteous; for there is a God that judgeth the earth, Psal. 58.10, 11. Have we not cause to see, narrowly to look, and to consider this great and wondrous work, in taking off so great an enemy; and to say, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms? Isa. 14. 16. The seed of evil doers shall never be renowned, ver. 20.  
How should we increase our joy, by considering what in times past he did, which he shall never do? He shall no more play the beast against the Lamb; nor set up superstition above worship; nor open a door to thrust out holiness, and let in profaneness; nor accuse strictness, as hypocrisy; and cry up liberty for religion; He shall no more give liberty to profane the Sabbath; nor set up maypoles as his pillars, to proclaim all strict observing of the Sabbath to be Jewish; or rear them up as spears and weapons of war, against the holiness of that day; He shall no more set up Candlesticks, and put down Catechising; nor deify singingservice, and suppress Lectures; nor tolerate plays, and suppress christian liberty in private communion for fasting, to increase faith and renew repentance; nor countenance men in profaneness, and convent men as offenders to his tribunal, for sanctifying their families in conceiving prayers; He shall no more watch opportunities against the Watchmen, and faithful pastors of the Land, that were the Lords' husbandmen, to turn many to righteousness; He shall no more remove them from their Congregations, by suspensions, extrusions, forcing to banishment, by imprisonment, by affamishment, by death; nor make their lives grievous by threats and scorns; He shall no more seduce the Kings of the earth; nor delude great ones; nor over-awe the Judges, to cause wrong judgement to proceed; nor terrify the Counsellor, that he dare not plead for his client; nor slay the fatherless in judgement; nor condemn the guiltless; He shall no more exalt the proud, be a terror to the just, a vexation to the thirsty soul, in taking away the bread of life from Congregations that faint for the word of consolation to build them up in faith; He shall no more sow fedition, set kingdoms on fire, raise war against the peaceable, despise dominions, nor study to subvert supreme Judicatures. In a word, he shall no more in any wise Lord it over God's heritage, not sit upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North, Isa. 14. 13. for the Lord hath swept him away with the bosom of destruction, ver. 23. Now what's our duty, but to rejoice in the God of our salvation?  
Would one imagine, there could live so much impudence so near a sudden death, as for a man (so eminent an enemy of all righteousness in his life, an apptossour in an high nature, a persecutor of rich and poor, that set their faces toward Zion) I say for him (in an open place, on the Scaffold of death, before such a confluence of people of this city, that have had such open testimony of his pride and cruelty) to justify himself by the example of our Lord Jesus? for wherefore else were those words chosen, Heb. 12. 1, 2. and this gloss, that he despised the shame for Jesus? Durst any but a spirit past holy fear and humility, compare himself with Christ in that particular of his sufferings, his beheading with Christ's crucifying, and his ignominy to Christ's undeserved shame? Weigh but the imparity of the parallel, when you have considered one not well shapen passage, Christ despised the shame for me, and God knows I despise the shame for Christ; if the Speech be comparative, as he for my example, so I by his example, and no more, than he died a Socinian, not a Protestant. But how unlike are the sufferers? Christ for the joy that was fet before him, was going to his Father; but this man for grief that he could live no longer to vex Christ in his members, was going to the tribunal of him whom he had pierced: In Christ's mouth was found no guile; under this man's lips were nothing else but deceit and strife: Christ endured the cross in obedience to his father's will, and as our surety; but this man despised the cross as a fool goeth laughing to the stocks: Christ despised the shame, as being no way conscious of desert; but this man endured the shame, as the just wages of his ambition and pride: Christ entered into his glory, and laid down his reproach; but this man laid down his honour at one blow, and liveth under perpetual ignominy: Christ prayed for them that cried him down to be crucified; but this man hath branded a famous city with sedition for praying for Justice on the Kingdoms disturbers: Christ endured the contradiction of sinners; but this man sought to set dissension between two Houses, in clearing his Judges, and condemning them that accused him unto them: finally, Christ died as a Lamb; but this man as a fox, whom Christ the Lord of glory hath taken away, never to destroy his vines any more: So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord, that when it goeth well with the righteous the city may rejoice, and when the wicked perish there may be shouting, Prov. 11. 10.  
But fourthly, In as much as when God chooseth to feed men with their own delusion, and to leave them under impenitency, than they justify themselves in the way of their error, and glory in their shame; Mattan esteemed it his renown to die for his Altars, and through the blindness of his judgement, after the ransacking of his heart with his own dark lantern, could find nothing that he had done with all his Baaliticall innovations, that was contrary to the pure worship of God, nor his conspiracy with Athaliah against the State, nor any thing that he had done could proclaim him guilty of that death that he suffered; we may  
1. Fear the judgement of an hardened heart, for it can neither blush, nor repent, nor give glory to God by confessing sin, but deliver up a man to the treasures of wrath.  
2. Let's be careful what foundations we lay, for men live according to their principles, the things that are bred with us, we hardly part from; when we are called to question for them, we are obstinate in defence of them, and rather choose to suffer with them then to be severed from them; an heretic will burn with his heresy: when men are drunk with error, though God send plagues on every side, yet they that are not slain with the plague, repent not of their murders and their fornications, Rev. 9 20, 21. they that live in error, will lie down in the shame.  
3. Let the testimony of truth be dearer to us then our lives, by how much the more we see proud men love their errors to the death; they die for that which deceives them, but they that die for the truth of Christ, have Christ to comfort them; men that die for their error, compliment with Christ, rather than call upon him to save them, but they love their error, and not Christ; but its love to our Redeemer, that carrieth the soul above sufferings.  
To conclude, fifthly, Let us not be secure upon the remove of an enemy, lest out of the serpent's root should come a Cockatrice, Isa. 14. 29. When Mattan is slain, Satan is not cut off, the Prince of darkness keeps his seat, when the ministers of Satan are brought under; cleave to covenant, and stand upon your watch; remove not from your steadfastness, but renew your graces continually; cool not in your love, but kindle in spirit and fervour unto Christ for ever; let Rulers wax valiant for the truth, for the Lord is their helper; let the people rejoice, and give God the glory of subduing them that rise up against us: there is nothing that we should seek the ruin of, so much as that which opposeth the advancement of Christ's glory; for fear the serpent's brood should break forth into a viperous generation, it's good to spoil the viper's nest; and when the people that were under a cloud see light, let them confess unto God, thou hast multiplied the nation of them that rear thee, and not increased the joy of their enemies, therefore we joy before thee, according to the joy of harvest; he that doth less than joy in the downfall of Christ's foes, may pass amongst them for a friend; let no man's heart melt, as if Mattan died a martyr; If any repent of the deeds that he hath done, and seek his peace with Christ, whom he hath persecuted, as well as peace with God by Christ, who would not rather rejoice then be offended at conversion? breach with God Christ makes up, for offence against Christ the Spirit makes intercession; but if the Spirit be refused, there's none left to make request to him, and so the work of mediation between God and the soul falleth: If any man walk in communion with God, and Christ, and the Spirit of grace, who would not rejoice in his peace when he lieth down in his bed of rest, but one that is ignorant? But if a person make no more profession of knowledge of God and Christ, but only because it is the profession of the Nation, nor at any time makes addresses to God but in times of horror, and then rather seeking for safety, than holiness as God is holy; who would conceive that worship to proceed from faith and love, but he that doth not understand the way of the Spirit of life? Cloth not proud offenders with the robe of Martyrs, thereby to take occasion to contemn the justice that God executeth: when transgressors are cut off, let God have the glory, and let all that love the Lord rejoice, when the adversaries of Jefus Christ are brought to their doom; To him that reigneth be glory.  
FINIS.