Imprecation against the enemies of God, lawful and a duty. As it was deliver'd in a sermon at the lecture in Boston, before His Excellency and the General Court, March 20th. 1707. And now publish'd at their command. / By Benjamin Colman, Pastor of a church in Boston. ; [Eight lines from Exodus]

Imprecation against the enemies of God, lawful and a duty. As it was deliver'd in a sermon at the lecture in Boston, before His Excellency and the General Court, March 20th. 1707. And now publish'd at their command. / By Benjamin Colman, Pastor of a church in Boston. ; [Eight lines from Exodus]

Table of contents

Title page

§

Imprecation Against the Enemies of GOD, Lawful and a Duty.

§

[Page]

Imprecation Against the Enemies of GOD, Lawful and a Duty.

Psalm LXVIII. 1.

Let GOD arise, let his Enemies be scattered; let them also that hate Him flee before Him.

THESE Words begin a Triumphant Psalm of David's, the Subject whereof is the Majesty and Power and Mercies of God, display'd in the Salvations of his Church, past and to come. The Triumphs of the GOD of Israel are here Celebrated, in a Style and Expression Lofty like the Place wherein He dwells, and Great as the Works they praise. There is a Mixture of History and Prophesie, a Review of the Glorious things which God had wro't for his Church from the days of Moses, and a Prediction of the greater Salvation by the MESSIAH to come; His Victorious and Triumphant Ascention, and leading Captivity Captive. v. 18.

[Page] The Occasion of the Psalm seems very obvious, tho' particular-Passages in it are Intricate and Perplex'd; so that One of the Criticks said of it, ‘that there are almost as many Shelfs and Labyrinths in it, as there are Verses and Words, and that it merits to be called the Tryal of the Wits of Interpreters, and their disgrace:’ Yet (I say) the Occasion of the Psalm seems very plain, and that it was Composed for and used at that Illustrious Solemnity in David's Reign, the Translation of the Ark of the Covenant from the House of Obed-Edom unto Zion; for the words of the Text, which are the Exordium of the Psalm, are the very same that Moses always used at the Removal of the Ark: Numb. 10.35. And it came to pass when the Ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine Enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee!

This then was the Original of the Text, being the words of Moses, the Lords Prophet, and the first Ruler of Israel, and Ancient as the first Redemption of His Church, and the days of their Travels in the Wilderness; where the Lord Led his People like a Flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. As soon as the Tabernacle was reared up, and the Ark of the Testimony was in its place, &c, Then a Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation, and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. The Cloud of the Lord was upon it by day, and Fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the House of Israel, [Page]thro'out all their Journeys. And when the Cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle, the Children of Israel went onward in all their Journeys: But if the Cloud were not taken up, then they Journyed not, till the day that it was taken up. No doubt it was a very joyful sight to that People when the Cloud rose up, God therein appearing to 'em to be making good his Promise, and leading them to Canaan: And the Phrase agree to their very sight, Rise up Lord! for there was a visible Appearance to their Senses of his doing so, as the Cloud was taken up.

It is very probable, that this Form of Prayer at the taking up of the Ark, was by Divine Appointment to be for ever used on this Occasion and Solemnity, as often as the Levites shou'd ever be called in all future Generations to Officiate in Bearing the Ark: At least 'tis past doubt that Moses at first spake these words by Inspiration, and Inspir'd David retaining them as the most Apt and Ancient, and the best that could be on the great Occasion.

This Famous Prayer consists of two Petitions, one giving the Reason of the other.

Let God arise. It is spoken after the manner of men, as when we implore speedy Succour of another, we suppose his Rising and hast'ning to our Relief. 'Tis a Phrase usual in Scripture, and Significant of Gods affording timely and present Help unto His People who trust in him; and equally of his taking speedy Vengeance [Page]of His and their Enemies. Psal. 12.5. For the Oppression of the Poor, for the sighing of the Needy, now will I arise, (saith the Lord) I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 102.13. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion. Jer. 2.27. In the time of their Trouble they will say, Arise and Save us. So also in Inflicting Judgment, God is said to Arise: ‖ What shall I do when God riseth up, & when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

To both Senses the Phrase is necessarily determined in the Text: The First is implied, soil. Gods timely appearing for the Protection and Defence of his People; for the Ark (at the Removes of which the Words were uttered) was the Glorious and Special† Symbol of Jehovahs Presence, and his giving Strength unto his People: Hence 'tis called, the Ark of his Strength, and from this Conception about it the Army of Israel in Eli's time sent for the Ark of God into the Camp to Save 'em, and received it with Shouting in their vain Confidence: So also when David was flying before Absalom, Zadock and the Levites were for bearing away the Ark of the Covenant of God, as a Pledge of the Divine Presence and Assistance with the Afflicted King; but his Care of it, and Reverence to it, was too [Page]great to suffer it, and he had a more just apprehension of a right Trust in God, then to build meerly on the outward sign of Gods Presence and Power.

The other Sense is in words expressed: Let God arise, and let his Enemies be scattered, let them also that hate him flee before him. This is the Express Reason of the Petition, that the Enemies of God might be put to Confusion and Flight, be bro't to Ruine and Destruction upon his Arising.

Observe here, That the Enemies and Haters of God are One; and so likewise are the Enemies of God and Israel One: those that hate his Church hate him, and 'tis a most Consolatory Cosideration that the Great GOD holds 'em to do so.

Yet note, that they are considered here as Gods Enemies, and not Ours personally: The Enemies of his Name and Glory, his Truth and Cause, his Church and Kingdom, and that Implacably; As such, Vengeance is here imprecated on them, and against such we may & ought to pray: 'Tis best to carry 'em to God, & leave 'em to his Judgments written against 'em.

And you cannot but remark the high Devotion & flaming Zeal, which this Prayer breathes: Such a Zeal for Gods Honour, and such Love to his Interest and People, as God who is here invok'd is wont Himself to express. And what a Noble Trust and Dependance on God alone is here express'd! Let God arise! they look to Him, they build on his Appearing for them, and not [Page]on any Arm of Flesh. Finally, The words speak a most glorious Faith and Confidence; Let God arise, let his Enemies be scattered, i. e. Let God arise and they will be so, they shall be so, there needs nothing more to discomfit 'em: and so indeed the Hebrew runs, in the Future Tense.

Thus I have as briefly as I cou'd fully, set this Copious Prayer in its true Light: You easily see how fruitful it is of Noble & Divine Truths, and how many rich Observations I might offer from it; I shall select One only, the plain scope of the Text, and what I designed in the Choice of it: Namely,

DOCT. That the People of God ought by Earnest & Fervent Prayer to be seeking to Him for the Overthrow and Destruction of His and His Churches Enemies.

PRAYER is our Duty, and our rich Priviledge in all Cases and Circumstances whatsoever. We owe this to God, and His Honour calls for it; we need it our selves, and 'tis an unspeakable Favour, Mercy and Advantage to us. The Command is, Eph. 6.18. Pray always with all Prayer, & Supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance: Phil. 4.6. In every thing [...] Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving, let your Requests be made known unto God.

'Tis what the Saints have always abounded in: from Abraham to David, from David to Elias, [Page]from Him to Daniel, &c. And above all out Blessed Saviour has taught it to his Church for ever, both in repeated Precepts and his own Heavenly Practice. A most Reasonable Duty to the Great God and our Merciful Redeemer! Whose we are, Who gave us Being, in whom we live, on whom we depend, from whom we receive all that we have, all that we can have, & more than we know of! (Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, Eph. 3.20.) To whom we are by our Baptism devoted and consecrated, being bought with a Price, the precious Blood of Christ, who also is our Advocate, and ever lives to present our Prayers.

Prayer is the least Acknowledgment that can be of God, his Providence, his Written Word, and all Spiritual Blessings in Christ; and the least Testimony we can give of a Religious Reverence & Veneration toward Him; of Gratitude, Love, Trust and Submission to Him; and surely there can be no more meet and proper, or Nobler Use of Speech, which Faculty is given us for this End, to utter aloud the devout Motions & Resentments of our Minds, in way of Homage to the Great GOD, and for His Honour & Glory.

Moreover, Fervency ‖ must accompany all our Prayers, if we expect they shou'd be acceptable and Prevalent. St. James puts these two together, [Page]Jam. 5.16. The Effectual Fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much: And the Psalmist sayes, With my whole heart have I fought thee,—I entreated thy Favour with my whole heart, Ps. 119. 10.18. This is but decent and necessary, because the Object to whom we address in Prayer is the Most High and Holy GOD, whose Name is Glorious and Fearful, and before whom the Serephims cover their Faces! Tis an awful thing to have to do with the Supream Majesty of Heaven and Earth! we shou'd not dare to trifle with Him! Moreover, The things we ask in Prayer are of the last Weight and Importance, and if we have a pressing sense of our Needs, and a real Desire of the Blessings we request, we cannot but be earnest and servent in Spirit. In a word, Prayer is a Sacred Exercise of great seriousness and solemnity, and nothing can be more Indecent & Criminal than a light and common, a cold and indifferent frame of Spirit in it; But the Mind ought to be Intent, Desire Strong, the Affections vigorously moving, Grace in its lively Exercise, and then (like Israel) we Wrestle with God and as a Prince we do prevail.

This I cou'd not but hint of Prayer in General, and now have the same thing to observe and make good of that particular Branch of Prayer, the Imprecation of Judgment upon the Enemies of God. I shall therefore show, that this is one Part of Prayer, and that we ought to be Earnest and Fervent in these Addresses to God.

[Page] I. Imprecation of Judgment on the wicked Enemies of God and his Church is one part of Prayers; &c we ought to make it one Article in our Petitions, that God wou'd blast their Designs & Attempts against his Truths, and Wayes, and Interest, confound their wicked Counsels, Scatter 'em in their evil Enterprizes, bring down their Power and Pride, and execute the Judgments written against them. We have many Examples of this part of Prayer in the Holy Scriptures ‖ especially in the Book of Psalms: I will mention two only, Psal. 94.1, 2. O Lord God, to whom Vengeance belongeth, O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thy self! Lift up thy self thou Judge of the Earth, render a Reward to the Proud! Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? &c. Psal. 83.1, 2. Keep not thou silence O God: hold not thy peace and be not still, O God. For lo, thine Enemies make a tumult, & they that hate thee have lift up the head.— v. 13, 15, &c. O my God, make them like a Wheel: as the stubble before the Wind.—So persecute 'em with thy Tempest, and make 'em afraid with thy Storm.— Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let 'em be put to shame, and perish.

Nor can it be said, that these Prayers do not agree to the Spirit of Christianity. They did agree to the Unequal'd Meekness of Moses, & to the exalted Devotion of David: Nay they do agree [Page]with the Goodness of that Frame, which we are sure the Blessed Spirits in Heaven are always in; for so the Souls of them that are Slain for the Word of God, are represented to be crying with a loud Voice, Rev. 6.10. How long, O Lord, Holy & True, dost thou not judge and avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth! And thus the Divine heard the Angel of the Waters say, Rev. 16.5, 6. Thou art Righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus: For they have shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. Now if both Prayers and Praises are utter'd on this account in Heaven above, are they not decent and becoming, and agreeable to pure Religion, in the Church here below?

But you will expect that I do both state and limit this point, and then offer something in Proof of it. Take then a few Rules about praying against others, even the most wicked Enemies of God, and then a few Reasons to prove it to be lawful, decent and necessary.

First, The Rules, which we ought to govern our selves by in this Case, are such as these.

1. We must be sure that we do simply consider 'em as Gods Enemies and not our Own, and that there be no private Grudge on personal accounts. For this wou'd spoil our Prayers, and be an Asking God to gratify our private Spleens, which he abominates in us. Therefore we must nakedly confider those, whom we pray against, [Page]as the Publick Enemies of Gods Truth and Holy Religion.

2. We must therefore be sure that we can prove 'em to be so, before we venture to pray against 'em. This will put restraint upon a hasty Zeal, which is apt to mistake, and to judge them whom Christ receives. 'Twill also manifest a due sense of our Ignorance and Fallibility; and prevent many a bitter Reflection, full of shame and sorrow, the certain fruit and punishment of Vain-Confidence and Criminal Rashness. I wish that all Parties among Protestants wou'd seriously lay this Rule to heart, lest in the Integrity and Honesty of their Hearts they run into the Disciple's Error, Luk. 9.49. Master, we saw one casting out Devils in thy Name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. And Jesus said, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us, is for us. You must observe, that Moses in the first Use of our Text, pray'd against those Enemies and Nations, whom he know God had devoted to destruction, and whom Israel were going to root out, and take possession of their Land: And a like Warrant we have to pray against the Romish Antichrist, the Daughter of Babylon that is to be destroyed.

3. However sure we are that a Person or Party do deserve the Judgments and Rebukes of Heaven, as Publick Enemies of the true Wayes of God, yet if there has been any thing of Personal. Opposition, Contests, Affronts Wrongs [Page]either given or received, Be sparing, suspicious, and lay Restraint upon thy self: Dare not to trust thy own heart, where 'tis so easily partial and byassed, lest Regards to self are blended with those to Heaven, and Heaven be dishonour'd and offended. And if men are apt to justifie and guide themselves by the Psalmists Example in this Case ‖, we must know that as we have not his Grace, so much less have we his Infallible Guidance and Inspiration, to safe-guard and warrant us. Mr. Vincent therefore tells us, ‘That David and the other Prophets are no Examples for us to follow in this matter, for they knew by a Prophetick Spirit Gods Intentions concerning the Persons whom they prayed against.’

4. We must be sure that it be not from a Spirit of Cruelty, nor from any want of Charity and Compassion, nor from a delight in the Griefs and Ruine of any of our Fellow-Creatures, that we Imprecate Judgments on them. When we are forc'd into it, it shou'd be only from a sense of Duty to God, and what we owe unto His Honour, Cause and Members: It must not be from Ill-will to men: it shou'd be from a grieved Spirit, that the Wickedness of men necessitates it, that men will bring down the Wrath of Heaven on their own Heads, and will not live in Holiness, [Page]and in Peace, and be happy. And then we do Imprecate in a Gracious Spirit, like that wherewith the Good God does Inflict Judgment, Who does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of men. So the Prophet cou'd denounce the Judgments of God against Moab in the Spirit of tender affliction for her, Isa. 16.11. My Bowels shall sound like an Harp for Moab, and mine Inward parts for Kir-haresh.

5. When we pray against the Enemies of God, some have tho't it shou'd rather be for "their Restraint than for their Hurt, but to be sure it shou'd be for their Conviction and Conversion, rather than Destruction. We shou'd pray for their Repentance, and Recovery from the Error of their Wayes, and from their bloody Counsels: that God wou'd Enlighten their Minds and turn their Hearts: that the Light from Heaven might Strike them to the Ground, and the Scales fall off from their Eyes: that if it please God he wou'd yet use 'em, as he did Persecuting Saul, to be eminently Serviceable to the Truths which they destroy: And finally, that God wou'd even judge 'em with this merciful Intention, as the Psalmist pray'd of old, Psal. 83.16. Fill their Faces with shame, that they may seek thy Name, O Lord.

6. Vengeance must not be Absolutely imprecated on any, but on supposition of their Implacable Malignity against God, which God only knows; or where he has Revealed it to be so, and has [Page]expressly devoted unto destruction: As we know that the Great Whore and Mother of Abominations is; As to which Accursed Interest in general therefore, Charity and Pity are shut out for Ever.

7. And Lastly, In all such Prayers against the Enemies of God and His Church, we must preserve a perfect Submission to the Will and Good Pleasure of God; leaving it to Him to judge in his own Time Way and Manner, not daring to prescribe our Tho'ts to Him, nor pretend to be privy to His; When, Where or How His Decrees shall take place, be bro't about or effected. All this we must for Ever submit to God in Adoring Manner, with humble and contented Minds: 'Tis eno' for us assuredly to Believe that His Day is coming, that the Vision is for an appointed time and will not tarry, and to have Hearts to pray with Earnestness and Joy, Even so Come, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!

Such Rules as these we ought to go by in praying against the Enemies of God and of His Church. I pass,

Secondly, To name some Reasons and Arguments, which do prove it Lawful and Decent, Necessary and a Duty to pray against 'em.

1. It is a proper and fitting Expression of Zeal against Sin and Errer. These are found among the Enemies & Haters of God; the Habitations of Ignorance and Cruelty are there. Here are Corruptions cherish'd, maintain'd and defended: [Page]Here Impostures are hatch'd, vended and vindicated: Here the Truth is blaspheem'd and outrag'd; damnable Heresies are furiously propagated by Violence and Force; the Blood of Saints thirsted after and greedily drank down: Hence come the Discords, Confusions and Wars in the Earth; they come of Mens Lusts, and Errors Originally of Hell, Adopted and carefully nurs'd up by the Romish Apostacy, Her fruitful, Spurious, acknowledg'd Issue. The Death of these we ought to seek, the Extirpation of Error and of Lust, which destroy mens Souls, dishonour God, and turn the World upside down. Surely we shou'd pray for a stop to be put to such Guilts! O let the wickedness of the Wicked come to an End, but establish the Just!—For her Sins have reached unto Heaven, and God hath remembred her Iniquities;—therefore shall her Plagues come in one day—.

2. It is but a meet Expression of Love to the Church and Members of Christ in the World. The Church's Preservation, defence and safety, Establishment and Inlargement, Purity and Reformation, Peace and Tranquility, Comfort and Joy, do depend on the Judgment of its implacable Enemies. Their fall is the Church's Security and Triumph, Rejoice over her, thou Heaven, and ye Holy Apostle and Prophets! the Persecuted Saints are herein deliver'd, honour'd and Avenged; to Them we owe our first and superiour Love, next unto what we owe to the LORD Himself, nay [Page]he reckons it to Himself, and it is our Love to His Name and Glory. For Zions sake therefore we shou'd not hold our peace, and for Jerusalems sake we shou'd not rest, until the Righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth. Isai. 62.1. This was a strong Motive to the Psalmist in the Conte [...]t, v. 2, 3. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the Fire, so let the wicked perish at the Presence of God: BUT let the Righteous be glad, let 'em rejoyce before God, yea let them exceedingly rejoyce.

3. And Lastly, The Glory of God, and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is greatly consulted in such Prayers. The Glory of the Being and Providence of God is so: for by this it appears terribly to a wicked and Infidel World, that there is a God, and that Zions God reigns; that Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous, verily he is a God who judgeth in the Earth! and that He whose Name alone is Jehovah is the Most High over all the Earth! v. 4. Extol him that rideth upon the Heavens by his Name JAH, and rejoyce before Him.

God has the Glory of his Holiness and Justice, and his Holy Angels laud him for Ever, saying, —They are Worthy! And of His Truth, both in his Promises and his Threatnings, Even so, Lord God Almighty! true and Righteous are thy Judgments.

It is to the Great Glory of Divine Power: especially when these Enemies of God are High and Mighty upon Earth, and they are nevertheless [Page]made to know that there is a God above them: So God gets Himself a Name on a haughty Pharaoh, a blaspheeming Senecharib, and a vaunting Nebuchadnezzar; He makes the One to know—Who is the Lord, and puts a hook into the Others Nose, and causes the Virgin, the Daughter of Zion, to despise him, to laugh him to scorn, & to shake the head at him; & the Last He humbles, and forces to confess that there is A Most High, the King of Heaven, to Praise, Extol & Honour Him, whose Dominion is Everlasting, all whose Works are Truth, and His Ways Judgment, & those that walk in Pride He is able to abase.

Moreover, God has the Glory of his Compassion and Mercy to His Church: He confirms his Inheritance when it is weary,—and prepares of his Goodness for the poor. v. 9, 10.

Finally, The Wisdom of God is sure to shine forth Gloriously: Mysterious Wisdom, in defeating the deep Polices, craft and subtilty of man, turning their Counsels backward, and taking them in their own Snares! Surprizing his Church with Salvations in Unexpected Way and Manner! snatch'd from among the pots, v. 13. and on a sudden rais'd & beautify'd as the Wings of a Dove cover'd with Silver, & her Feathers with yellow Gold.

For these plain Reasons we ought to be seeking to God in Prayer for the Overthrow and Destruction of His & his Church's Enemies: these are the Ends of such Prayers, the proper Motives to 'em, and what do justifie us in 'em; not [Page]only arguing 'em to be lawful and decent, but a Duty and of necessity. And the same Reasons do oblige us.

II. Unto Fervency and Earnestness in such parts of Prayer; which shou'd have been the Second General Head of Discourse, the Text breathing a very sensible Zeal and Flame; as also the Elect, whom God will avenge, are said to Cry day and night. If we shou'd not be Zealous against Sin, and in Earnest when the Glory of God lies at stake, and if we ought not to be hearty and fervent in Love to Christ and his Interest, what shou'd Inspire us to be so?

Moreover, The Enemies of Christ & of his Church are zealous in their Opposition and Enmity. Zealous in their Idolatrous Invocations, and in numbring their Ridiculous Prayers, like the Priests of Baal in Elijahs time, who together with their Antick Gestures, and bloody Rites, held their Yell from Morning to Evening, O Baal, hear us! Furious (like Jezabel, their Patroness) in hatred of the Truth, and persecuting the Prophets of the Lord to Death, to exterminate pure Worship from the Earth! So zealous (it may be) as to bind themselves with detested Vows, and take the Sacrament on it that they will imbrew their hands in Blood! Surely then we shou'd find Zeal too, and be very Jealous for the Lord God of Hosts, for his People, and our Holy Religion; and against the Spirit of Antichrist and all its Abominations! [Page]A manly, rational, meek Divine Zeal shou'd put us on praying, and the Lord wou'd answer by fire, and burn up his Enemies.

USE. I will Improve the Doctrine in a few devout and practical Reflections.

I. If Imprecation shou'd be made against the wicked Enemies of God and his Church, in Solemn Prayer unto God, we learn thence how Prophane it is to use this Mode of Speech on light and trivial Causes, how horrid and cruel it is to make our Neighbours the Objects of 'em, and how Unnatural and Monstrous a thing 'tis to make them against our selves. The least that can be said of it in either of these Cases is, that 'tis a profane Taking the Name of God in vain: But one wou'd never guess it, if 'twere not so often prov'd, that men cou'd turn a thing so Awful and Solemn into a Jest and Play, nor dare to direct the Pointed Lightning to their own heads, or wish it on their Neighbours. Yet this vile Use do men too often make of Imprecation, sometimes wantonly, sometimes maliciously, always prophanely.

Some cruelly & unnaturally Imprecate against their own Souls, on trivial Causes and in a strange kind of Jest & Sport, wishing damnation to themselves every day they live! the only Prayer they ever make it may be! Others in Vexation and discontent do the same to their Limbs or Life; & God, whose holy Name is impiously profan'd. [Page]hears their hideous Wishes, and sometimes judicially seals and affixes an Amen to 'em, saying, Yes, Profane man, equally an hater of thy self and Me, inherit the wish'd Curse.

Sometimes men bestow their direful Imprecations on Others, sportively very often, and often from passion and sudden wrath, and too often from a bitter Malignity, and Implacable hatred of their Persons. A Crime that Christianity utterly detests, whatever our Provocations may be, strictly requiring us to love our Enemies and forgive men their trespasses, to bless them that curse us, and to pray for them that despitefully use us. Ro. 12.14. Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not. Not but that we may have a sorrowful Resentment of Wrongs, and may go to God, with whom 'tis best to leave our selves and others.—I Mourn in my complaint and make a noise, because of the Voice of the Enemy, because of the Oppression of the Wicked; for they cast Iniquity upon me, & in Wrath they hate me.—They curse inwardly: My Soul, wait then only upon God, for my Expectation is from Him.—Do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy Names take: because thy Mercy is Good, deliver thou me.—That they may know that this is thy Hand, that thou, Lord, [...] done it: let them curse, but bless Thou!—

Sometimes these barbarous and bloody Execrations have put on the Reverend Face of Sanctity and Religion, & Zeal for God & His Truth: & so the Men of one Party, Sect and Opinion in Religion have, with much solemnity [...] pretended [Page]Devotion, Anathematiz'd and damn'd all that differ from 'em. This has been peculiarly the Guilt of Rome: And we shou'd learn to spue out this Leven, for 'tis very apt to taint us in our Disaffections to one another, even where men agree in all the Fundamentals of Religion; whence it is that so many Thousands stand Excommunicate in mens Tho'ts and on Records, whom the Lord Jesus Christ will own and embrace.

Indeed there was among the Jews a Form of Adjuration or Imprecation, scil. GOD DO SO, AND MORE ALSO. The most Eminent Saints us'd it, but in a devout and awful manner, & upon weighty and serious Occasions: And so us'd, it was properly a part of Religion, as much as the taking an Oath is when we are called to it; for this also is a solemn Appeal unto God, and a tacit Invoking his holy Vengeance in case of Falshood, which Vengeance does therefore follow Perjury. So (I say) Imprecation was of old used as an Act of Religion & Worship, in devout manner. Thus Eli adjur'd Samuel, 1 Sam. 3.17. God do so to thee, & more also, if thou hide any thing from me—.So Ruth unto Naomi: The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee & me, In this manner David once & again Sware & bound himself (a) and so Solomon sware by the Lord, (b) saying, God do so to to me and more also, if [...][Page]have not spoken against his own life: & St. Paul with like Solemnity (c) asserts his Veracity by calling God to Record on his Soul. These Instances show that the thing is Good, if it be used lawfully.

But as every act of Religion may be abus'd and profan'd, and then looks horrid, so do profane Imprecations more especially; it is so Insolent and daring a Dishonour to the Name and Authority of God. Yet good Men have sometimes rashly fallen into it, but have deeply repented of it, as David did of his passionate Resolve against Nabal: 1 Sam. 25.22. So and more also do God unto the Enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the Morning light: but there follows a full proof of his Repenting of those blooly Words, v. 32, 33. where he blesses God, and blesses Abigail, that he was kept from shedding blood and from avenging himself.

But how many Graceless Creatures are there, who make a Trade of this and other Acts of Prophaness, and repent not, nor do their hearts seem to smite 'em. I might produce many dire Examples out of History, of Persons who have been dreadfully punish'd by God, as they have wish'd against themselves in their cruel Passions: But there is one Select and terrible Scripture Instance, which alone I will leave with you to think of; and the rather to let you see of what kind of Person this Impiety might be expected; and how severe and exact Heaven is to fulfil and perform [Page]the cursed Wish. Let Jezebel be the Instance (that Woman Jezebel, "the Type of the Romish Whore, drunk with the Blood of Saints) of whom we read, 1 King. 19.1, 2. that when Ahab told her all that Elijah had done, (how he had encounter'd the Priests of Baal, expos'd 'em, and at his order the convinced Multitude had in their zeal slain 'em) this inrag'd Woman then sent a Messenger unto him saying, So let the gods do to me and more also, if I make not thy life, as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time ‖. Thus she imprecated against her own Life: Words worthy of her lewd Mouth, and agreable to her outrageous and bloody Spirit! And in a little time God did to her as she had wish'd, and more also than what she had threat'ned Elijah, & than he had done to her Idolatrous Priests; for she was not Slain barely, but in an uncommon way and manner, being thrown out of a Window; dasht to death on the Pavement, trodden under foot, and eaten of dogs. Well did Jehu call her the Cursed Woman! Curs'd from her own Mouth, and the Curse confirm'd by the God of Heaven, who heard and executed what her lips had utter'd.

In short, let us learn to abhor this Savage Spirit, which pure Religion bids the last Defyance to; it being equally void of Reverence to God or Mercy to Men, equally against Nature & against Grace.

[Page] II. Here is a Serious and Affectionate Call to Prayer, for our People, and Churches, and for the Interest of Christ in the World. For what is it to Pray against the Church's Enemies, but to be lifting up a Prayer for the Church it self? 'Tis in effect the same thing, and they are mutually imply'd in each other. The same Reasons and Arguments incite equally to either, and therefore the proper Inference & Exhortation from the preceding Discourse is this, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem! Psal. 122.7, 8, 9. Peace be within thy Walls, and Prosperity within thy Palaces. For my Brethren and Companions sake I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the House of the Lord our God, I will seek thy Good. So in the same Breath wherein the Psalmist prayes, Remember, O Lord, the Children of Edom, he took special care himself not to forget Jerusalem, If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her Cunning: If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief Joy.

Millions of Prayers are daily going up to God from his Church, in every part of the World, against his Enemies; and such hands as Moses held up High and Steadily in the Mount, and hearts like his breathing out this Short Petition, wou'd utterly scatter every Amaleck, and put the Haters of the Lord to a perpetual Rout. God has fulfill'd his gracious Promise, and has set Watchmen upon Jerusalems Walls, who do [...] hold their Peace, day nor night: Isa. 62.6, 7. Ye that make mention of the [Page]Lord keep not Silence, and give Him no Rest, till He establish, & till He make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth.

III. Salvations receiv'd shou'd be lookt upon at Answers given unto Prayer, and demand Returns of Solemn Praise and Thanksgiving. When God has Risen up and smote his Enemies, our Prayers against them are Answer'd, our Petition is given us; as indeed of late years the Church's Prayers have been most signally, in a Series of great Successes and wonderful Victories over the Powers of the Beast; and I need look no further than our Context for the proper Acknowledgments & Thankful Praises, which such gracious Answers of Prayer shou'd constrain from us: v. 11, 12. The Lord gave the Word, Great was the Company of those that Publish'd it. Kings of Armies did flee apace, and she that tarry'd at home divided the spoil. v. 26. Bless ye God in the Congregations, even the Lord from the Fountain of Israel. v. 28. Thy God hath commanded thy strength; strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wro't for us. v. 32, 33, &c. Sing unto God, O ye Kingdoms of the Earth; O Sing Praises unto the Lord, Selah: To Him that rideth upon the Heavens of Heavens, which were of old; Lo, He doth send out his Voice, and that a Mighty Voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God: His Excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the Clouds. O God, thou art Terrible out of thy holy Places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his People: Blessed be God.

[Page] IV. If we may Pray against the Enemies of God and his Church, for their Overthrow and Destruction, Then also we may Seek and Endeavour their ruin and downfal in LAWFUL WAR. 'Tis you see what we can Pray over, and may trust in God for his Blessing on. For tho' Christianity abhors the Principle of Propagating the Truth by Force of Arms; or of making War on others because they are the avowed Enemies of God & his Church; yet if thro' the over-ruling Providence of God we come to be in a just War with such, we may the more confidently hope that God will make it Subserve to his own Glory in their Overthrow, and we can plead before Him, that they are His Enemies, and Pray that He wou'd Arise and Scatter 'em.

This gives the GOVERNMENT Confidence in their Councels against the Enemy, and heartens the Christian Souldiers in their Marches and Engagements; to be Strong and to Play the Men, for the People and Cities of their God; for as many Prayers are following 'em, So who knows what Arms God will use for the Fall of the Man of Sin, against whom so many Prayers are continually ascending. What we may Pray for, we may also endeavour, at the plain and loud Call of Providence. The Psalmist wou'd have been glad to have us'd his Hands as well as Tongue, to have drawn his Sword as well as Pen, against Devoted Babylon: Psal. 137.8. O Daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroy'd! happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

[Page] And being that God has cast our day in a time of War with the Antichristian Enemy, I wou'd crave leave to offer this Comfortable Assurance to YOUR EXCELLENCY and the HONOURABLE COURT, Your Officers and Troops; That we bear you in our Hearts, and on our Knees to God, and follow our Brethren in their wearisome Marches, and thro' all their Dangers, with our earnest Cries to Heaven for their safe Conduct, Success, Victories, and a Triumphant Return. We also stand ready as our Office binds us, and Your whole praying People, bound by their Holy Profession, to ascribe and give the Glory to God of all his merciful Appearances with You, in blessing Your Councels and Enterprizes. We have an ARK to take up and bear before You, even the Exalted NAME of the Victorious REDEEMER! We have a MERCY-SEAT to come before,—And we thank GOD on Your Behalf (the Fathers of the Congregation) who have lately call'd us to Enquire before it, for and with you ‖; Admonishing us herein of our Duty and Priviledge, if we cou'd have forgot it, & leaving us a happy Testimony of Your own devout Dependance.

V. And lastly, Let us be Caution'd and Directed to earnest Heed and Care, lest we be found our selves among the Enemies of a HOLY GOD, and so the Efficacy of our Prayers be hindred, and our Imprecations[Page]turn'd at last against our selves. Let us be Exhorted to Universal Holiness and a General Reformation; for if we regard Iniquity in our hearts, and retain it in practice, the Lord will not hear our Prayers, and the Scripture concludes us Enemies to the Cross of Christ, whose End is Destruction! and then while we pray—So let thine Enemies perish, O Lord—, we forget that we Invoke upon our own Heads. For verily; Irreligion, Disobedience, Profaness or Hypocrisie are equally Enmity and Odious to God, as are corrupt Doctrine, Superstition, False Worship and bloody Principles adopted into Religion.

What great Difference is there, tho' there be Error and Impostures with our Enemies, and the Truth held in Unrighteousness with us! Worship Corrupted with them, and the pure Ordinances neglected or profaned by us! Idol Images with them, and Idol-lusts with us! more Bloodiness with them, but aggravated Immoralities of other kind with us! Aggravated (I say) under our superiour light and advantages! and stricter Bonds! Our Sins being more bold and insolent, base & ungrateful, false and treacherous in the sight of Heaven than theirs.

For does not the Holy God most resent Sin in his own Professing People? (a) and will He not punish it in them? (b) Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth; therefore I [Page]will punish you for all your Iniquities. Will He not disown us? Hos. 1.9. Call his Name Lo-ammi; for ye are not my People, and I will not be your God. And has not God threatned to use his real Enemies as the Instruments, by whom to avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant (c)?

It behoves us therefore to judge our selves this day before the Lord our God: Have we been a People faithful in his Holy Covenant? Or are we a penitent and reforming People? If not, what Confidence have we that God will hear and bless us? What Efficacy are our Prayers like to have? What hurt will they do our Enemies, if we be as wicked as they? as barren under better Means, and as Cold and dead under more Awakenings!

Traitors that we are to God, to our selves, & Countrey! We side with our Enemies in their ill designs upon us, by retaining our provoking Lusts! we betray and deliver up the Interest of Christ! we provoke God to forsake the Land, and the Ark will not save us! We show no real Regard to our Churches, nor to our Brethren in the Field! We blast our own Prayers, and cherish worse Enemies within us, than those that can invade us from without!

We must therefore put away the Accursed thing from among us, or our Trouble is from our selves, and God will trouble us. Let us be zeal us and repent. Especially lay out your Zeal against Immoralities, [Page]and for Practical Godliness. Let us join heart and hand for Truth and Holiness, & against the open Neglect, I had amost said Contempt, of Divine Institutions. Let us be Spirited [to recover and establish Government in our Churches,] and to maintain a Godly and strict Discipline. Finally, Let our Civil Rulers see to the Execution of those good Laws, which we have against Open Wickedness, and to provide for Religion and Literature in After-Generations; that there may be an Instructed and Godly Seed after us, excelling us, as They have done who are gone before us.

Then wou'd the LORD awake for our Help, and put our Enemies to a perpetual Reproach; the Haters of the Lord shou'd submit themselves, and our Time would be for ever! He would Set up his Tabernacle with us, and His Soul would not abhor us! He wou'd Walk among us, and be our God, and we shou'd be His People! The Cloud of his merciful Protection wou'd cover us, and rest over us! We might Set down the ARK of His Covenant, and say,—Return, O LORD, to the many Thousands of Israel! AMEN.

FINIS.

Notes

‖

Isa. 14.22.33.10. Job 31.14.

↵

†

Psal. 132.8. 1 Sam. 4.3. a Sam. 15.24, 25. Jer. 3.16. Rev. 11.19.

↵

‖

Rom. 8.26, Col. 4.12. St. Luk. 22.44. 1 Thes. 3.10.

↵

‖

Psal. 5.10, 7, 6.9.59, 13.69.24. &c. 79.10, 11, 125.5. [...]

↵

‖

As Psalm 7.35. [...]2. [...]4.55.59.69.70.109, &c.

↵

(a)

2 Sam. 3 35.19.13.

↵

(b)

1 Kings [...] [...]3.

↵

(c)

2 Cor. 1.23.

↵

‖

The like Instance we have, a King 6.31. Act 23.14.

↵

‖

On a Day of Prayer at the Council Chamber in Boston, Fryday, March 7.17 [...]7.

↵

(a)

Exod 32.10 Deut 9 19 Ezek 6 9. Amos 2.13. Isa 63 10.

↵

(b)

Levit. [...]6.15, 16, 18. Amos 2.4, 6. Lam. 1.8, 14.

↵

(c)

Deut. 28 48.49 Psal. 78.61, 62. Joshu 23.13 Judg 2.14, 15.

↵

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

IMPRECATION Against the Enemies of GOD, Lawful and a Duty. As it was Deliver'd in a SERMON at the Lecture in Boston, before HIS EXCELLENCY and the GENERAL COURT, March 20th. 1707. And now Publish'd at Their Command.

By Benjamin Colman, Pastor of a Church in Boston.

Exod. xvii 10.

So Joshua—fought with Amaleck: And Moses, Aaron, & Hur, went up to the Top of the Hill

v. 11.

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his Hand, that Israel prevailed —

v. 12

— And Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands; — and they were steady until the going down of the Sun

v 15

And Moses built an Altar, & called the Name of it JEHOVAH-Nissi. (i.e. The Lord my Banner.)

Boston in N. E. Printed by B. Green, for Nicholas Boone, at his Shop near the corner of School-house lane. 1707.

§

§

[Page]

PRINTED by Order of His Excellency the GOVERNOUR, at the Desire of the Council and Assembly.

Isaac Addington, Secr.

BOSTON: 21st. of March 1707.

§

§

ERRATA. Page 3. line 9. read, did agree. line 20. read, retained.

Information about this book

Title statement

Imprecation against the enemies of God, lawful and a duty. As it was deliver'd in a sermon at the lecture in Boston, before His Excellency and the General Court, March 20th. 1707. And now publish'd at their command. / By Benjamin Colman, Pastor of a church in Boston. ; [Eight lines from Exodus]

Colman, Benjamin, 1673-1747.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2011-05.

ID [DLPS]

N01084

ID [TCP]

N01084

ID [STC]

Evans 1294

ID [NOTIS]

APW6807

ID [IMAGE-SET]

1294

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99012949

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 1294.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N01084)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 1294)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 1294)

Source

— Imprecation against the enemies of God, lawful and a duty. As it was deliver'd in a sermon at the lecture in Boston, before His Excellency and the General Court, March 20th. 1707. And now publish'd at their command. / By Benjamin Colman, Pastor of a church in Boston. ; [Eight lines from Exodus], Colman, Benjamin, 1673-1747., Massachusetts. General Court..

Extent

[2], 30 p. ; 15 cm. (8vo)

Printed by B. Green, for Nicholas Boone, at his shop near the corner of School-house Lane.,. Boston in N.E. :: 1707.. (Signatures: A-B^8.) (Errata note, p. 30.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.