37 6 '4 Sermonpreachedat Aldertna,nbury-Chureb, the Magiftrates fettle it. Thus David, 2 Sam. 6. I) 2. he gathe- red together all the chofenmen of Ifrael > thirty thoufand, to fetch home the Ark : So Solomon he affembled the Elders of grad and the heads of the Tribes, the Nobles, the chief of the Fathers of the children of Ifraelunto ferufalem , with a great deal of pomp , to bring up the Arkof the. Covenant of the Lord into its place. 0 that God would encourage bur Nobles. and Magiflrates , that they might be folicitous to fettle the Ark : Magiftrates malt not do as the Phi- Viines , they had the Ark, but what did they do with it ? they fet it up in the lioufe of Dagon, hut Dag-on and the Ark could never agree: 'wherefare Religion. comes in at one door,the true Religion goes out at the other ; you mutt not put the Ark and Dalton together. Secondly, What mutt the Minifters do to 1. cep the Ark from ? They must endeavour after holineffe ; the Ark will never stand fteddy, nor profpn: upon the shoulders of Hophny and Phine- 'haf. A wicked, prophane, drunken Ivliniftry will never fettle the 'Ark ; it miff be the fober, pious, godlyMinifters that muff do it : How holy muff they be that draw nigh to the God of holinefs ? Thirdly, What malt the people of God do, that the Ark may not be loft ? There be five things I shall commend you unto , and then commend you to God. rummull not Idolize the Ark: 2. Tow muff not undervalue the Ark,. 3. Tow muff not pry into the Ark: 4. Ton moil not meddle with the Arkwithottt R lawful Call. 5. You muff keep the Covenant of the Ark, Tow muff not Idolize the Ark; that was the fin of the people in the Text ; they thought the very pretence of the Ark would ex-L cufe them, and keep them fafe, and therefore they carried the Ark into the Camp ; though they reformed not, and repented not , ye they thought the Ark would fave them. Somany there be that think the Ark will fave them, though never fo w'cked ; but nothingwill fecure a Nation but Repentance and Reformaton. secondly, 'Do not undervalue the Ark; this was Michals 2 Sane. 6.14, z 5,T 6. When David danced before the Ark, and Michal mock- ed him, and defpifed him in herheart ; but faith he ; it was before the Lord, and if this be vile, I veil be more vile. Some men begin to fay what need weany preaching , will not Prayers ferve ? others fay , what needs fo much Preaching, will not once a day ferve ? Now this is to undervalue the Ark: therefore let us ray as David, if to preach the Word, ifto fait and pray for the Nation ; vile, then I will be more vile. Thirdly,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=