134 gowmull we reprove, that we maynot Serm,7, fowpillows to every elbow, Ezek, 13.17. and fo forward. Read it at lei- lure. I fear this has been the Sin of former Tines andGovernments,God grant it maynot be the Sin of prefenrand future Ages, for men to con- nive at any that promote their own interefts. Alas, tray brethren, methinks the inter-if of Piety, and the intereft of Confcience, and the intereft of the eternal God, judge of quick and dead, thould fwallow up all the intereíts of the world. If Nebachad_ ncrx,ar himfelf fhould let up a golden Image, and would h we is zvor- (hipped, I cell you 'tis not treafen for Sidrach, Mefhech and Abednego to fay, we are not careful oh King to anfixer thee in this matter, Dan. ^,i6. Betides, let not min deceive themfelves, for fuch perlons as can fo eat l-y betray the interefit of God, will never be afraid, if opportunity ferve, to oppofc the foveraigìtyof man, whole authority he bears, ani are not indeed Htafhai's, but Zjba's, not Davids friends, but Davids flatterers. 4. By fufferance, by permitting the fins ofothers,fowe becomeguil- ty,hy f [fering others to fin,whom we are borand ias duay, and maybe able by authority to hinder : and thus as in the former particular, veare guilty of Magiflrates fins,in this particular Magi firates oft-times becomeguil- tyof ourfins. Kings and Rulers, and fubordinate Magiftrares become ofc-times deeplyguiltyof their peoples fins, namely, by fafferance, by tolerating Errours,and Herefies,.,nd Biafphemies on theone hand,or by fuffering wickednefs and profanenefson the other. That Ruler or Magifirare that fhall fuffer either loofeopinions or prin- ciples, that are contrary to foaanddoctrine, ro be bro.ach'd, or loofe wait's and cuflores, that arecontrary to the power of godlineß, to beobferved, and (lull not ule his authority to prevent and fupprels them, he con- trads to himleff theguilt, and draws upon himfelf the mifchiefof all t hole Sins and Enormities : Juft as he that licences a Bookro the Prefl, if there be any faults of ;gnorrexce, or errour, or poyfonous opinions, they may be juftly charged upon him and laid at his door, thoughhe is not theAuthor, yet becaufe he is the Licencer, though he is not the Parent, yet becaufe he is the midwife. So if there be any herefie and blamhemy tolerated in a place, if there be any profar,.eneß and ungodlineß fuffered among a people, becaufe it has the Magifirates Imprimatur, and he fuffers it to p,aß the Country without whipping, therefore he's highly guilty. Sabbath-breaking abounds, let itpall, faies the Major of a Town ; drunken-
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