A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

4. Holiness will cause the Rulers to hate sin in themselves and others, and to remove the abominable thing from before the eyes of Gods jealousy; and to drive away the froward; and not to know the wicked and the proud, and to cut off the slanderer, and the wicked doers; and to set no wicked thing before their eyes, Psalm 101. In their eyes a vile person will be contemned, but they will honour them that fear the Lord. By this means their Kingdoms may be Holy, and God will delight in them, and dwell among them, and it shall be said of them, as Jer. 31. 23. [The Lord bless thee, O•habitation of Justice, and mountain of Holiness.] And when Israel is [Holiness to the Lord] all that devour him shall offend, evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord.] Jer. 2. 3. The holy examples, and holy Government of Godly Kings and Magistrates, will draw the hearts of the people to Holiness, and cause it to flourish in the Lands: Whereas the wicked examples and government of the ungodly, tendeth to make all about them wicked: For, as Solomon saith, Prov. 29. 12. [If a Ruler hearken ⟨p. 166⟩to li•s, all his servants are wicked] And then they are fuel for the wrath of God, both as offenders, and as enemies: For they will be still rebelling and opposing him; and carnal interest and enmity will pervert them to use the reprovers as Asa, and Amaziah, and Jeroboam, and Jezebel, and Joash did: and to think with Saul that Doeg was the best subject that would kill the Priests at his command, and those the worst that would not betray them, or destroy them: and to say to false accusers as he did to the Ziphites, 1 Sam. 23. 21. Blessed be ye of the Lord, for ye have compassion on me.] And saith the Lord, Isa. 27. 4. [Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.]