Babylons downfall a sermon lately preached at Westminster before sundry of the honourable House…

Take heed that thou do nothing to hinder Gods public design by your private practices,¹ put away the evil of all your doings, lest your private wickedness do ponere obicem to Gods proceedings.

Take heed that thou do nothing to hinder Gods publike designe by your private practices,¹ put away the evill of all your doings, lest your private wickednesse do ponere obicem to Gods proceedings.

1. 1Answ. 1.

Achans wickedness was committed in the dark, and with much privacy, yet what influence had it into public misery?

Achans wickednesse was committed in the dark, and with much privacie, yet what influence had it into publike misery?

Miriam and Aaron murmured against Moses, and envied at him, for which she was stricken with leprosy, whereby the whole congregation was stayed, and their march hindered. It is said 2 Chron. 20. 33. that the high places were not pulled down, because the people were not prepared for the Lord; not because the Prince was not prepared, or the great ones not prepared, but because the people were not prepared. It is in regard of truth, as in regard of error in this particular, though the Baker may have kneaded his dough, that is, his false opinion, and made it ready, yet as the Prophet Hosea speaks, and as Zanchy interprets the place, he sets not in, till the Oven be heat, that is, the heart of the people warmed, and prepared for it. So for a truth also, or a public mercy, and deliverance, though God have provided it for a people, yet it is not handed to them, and set in, till their hearts be warmed & prepared for it. You may observe therefore, that when David had made his penitential Psalm for his own sin,