Zerubbabels encouragement to finish the temple. A sermon preached before the honourable House of…

& they made no war against Jehoshaphat. This will secure the Land, as much as that posture of War you intend. You have also issued out an Order for the purging out divers Innovations in & about the worship of God, for the abolishing of all Crucifixes, scandalous pictures, &c. and other the like superstitions. Go on to establish it; you will establish the Kingdom by it. Not to quote the book of Kings and Chronicles, which is abundant in such examples; we have an instance more ancient of the like blessing of God upon the like practice, ⟨p. 34⟩Gen. 35. Jacob reformed his family of all their strange Gods, and all their ear-rings, ver. 2. & 4. and the success was, that the terror of God was upon all the Cities round about them, ver. 5. You have likewise declared, that you intend a due and necessary Reformation of the Government and Liturgy of the Church, &c. you will find the like blessing to be upon this also, in the War you have undertaken against the Popish Irish Rebels. When Abijah King of Judah was to fight with Jeroboam King of Israel, that had perverted the worship of the Lord, see how he pleads the cause against them and his Army; Ye have cast out the Priests of the Lord, but as for us the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him, and the Priests which minister unto the Lord are the Sons of Aaron; that is, such as by Gods own appointment were to govern the Church, and to minister afore the Lord: And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening, burnt Sacrifices, and sweet incense; the show-bread also set they in order upon the pure Table, and the Candlestick of gold with the Lamps thereof: We keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him, and behold, God himself is with us for our Captain, but you shall not prosper, &c. ver. 9, 10, 11, & 12. and the issue of all this is recorded; ver. 16, & 17. God smote Jeroboam, and all Israel before Abijah and Judah, and the Children of Israel sled before Judah, and Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter, so that the children of Israel were brought under at that time. But on the contrary, If you falter in the matter ⟨p. 35⟩of Religion and Worship, know, that from that time God will curse you, as he did Jeroboam and Israel with him;

& they made no warre against Iehoshaphat. This will secure the Land, as much as that posture of Warre you intend. You have also issued out an Order for the purging out divers Innovations in & about the worship of God, for the abolishing of all Crucifixes, scandalous pictures, &c. and other the like superstitions. Go on to establish it; you will establish the Kingdome by it. Not to quote the book of Kings and Chronicles, which is abundant in such examples; we have an instance more ancient of the like blessing of God upon the like practice,