Chapel 2. An Expofition upon the Sool¿,ofJo s. Verf. r 5. 75 bonds ofPrinces. When they a& the Tyrant, not the King, and inked of ruling, vex a people, when they will not let their fubjeets enjoy filch liberty as becomesmin or Chriftians, then he loofah their bonds. Kings and people too, join fornetirnes ( though in vain) to break the bonds of God. (Pfal. 2.1,2 ) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The Kings of the earth (et themfelves, and the Rulers take counfel together; And what is it upon ? It is this, Come let us breaktheir bonds afunder, and calf away their cords from us What ? Will Chritl fubdue us'to his laws ? Will he lay bonds upon us, and make us flaves under the fcepter of his government ? Come, . let us break thefebonds, and calfthefe cords from us, let us get out our necks from this yoke,and our fhoulders from thefe bur- dens. We are a free people, our tongues and our confciences are our own, who is Lord over us ? Thuspeople and Kings con- fpire to laofen the bonds which Jefus Chrifi the King ofSaints, and King of Nations chargeth upon them for their good ; they will not abide filchbonds, not they, but they muft,for they do but imagine a vain thing. But when Kings and Princes out of the perrinatioulnefs and pride of their fpirits, or out ofan un. governedrefolution ingovernment,fay that they willlay bonds, and tributes, impolitions and fervices upon their people, which make them groan then the Lord takes counfel in heaven( and it is not in vain ) I will break their bonds, ( faith he) and cart their cords off fromyou, and he loth it. As Saintfon brake the withs and bondwherewith the Philiflines bound him, fo lothGod thofe,Vhef ewith his people are bound, ac a threed, ru d threedof tow is broken, when it toucheth (or as the Hebrew it ) finelleth the fire thus he wrought for his holy Name, avid for his peope in Egypt Pharaoh laid to his wife Counfellours , Come, lit us work wifely, ler us make bonds for this people, and bring them into perpei ual fervitude ; they were firft command- ed to make brick, and then compelled to make brick without traw, c Bey ferved with Rigour. Here were bonds, but God loofened them, and by a mightyhand and ftretched out arm, delivered his people, drowning Pharaoh in the red Sea. Thus the bond of that Kingwas ,loofened ; and fo were thofè ofRe- bobohae ; for while he ( as was toucht before) prepared bonds for his People, and thought he could neve make them flaves e.. nough, God in judgment flirted up another King, and ten Nn 2 tribes
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