of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego; those men, O king, have not regarded thee, they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.' This said the informers. Then Nebuchadnezzer, in his rage and fury, commanded to bring Shadrach, Me shech, and Abednego, before him, and he said unto them, 'Is it true? do you not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? &c. But if you worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of the fiery furnace. Who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?' Then said the three children unto the king, 'We are not careful to answer thee in this matter; but if it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hands, O king. But if not, be it known to thee, O king, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.' Here was a positive answer and a godly confidence. Then was the king full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed, against the three children; and he commanded his furnace to be heated seven times more than it was wont to be, and commanded the most mighty men of his army to bind the three children in their coats, hose, and hats, and other garments, and cast them into the midst of the burning furnace; which flames of fire slew those men that cast them in. Then the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? And they answered, and said unto the king, Tre, O king. And he answered, and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the son of God; and the king called the three children out of the fire.' And so the king was made to bless the God of Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego; and made a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which spoke any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill, because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.'

Now here you may see, the Lord confounded the murderous informers, and the fury and rage of Nebuchadnezzer; and his mighty men were slain, that cast the three children into the fire; but the Lord delivered the three children that trusted in him, to the exaltation of his glory and name.

And also you may see in Dan. vi. Darius made Daniel chief of the presidents, and the presidents and princes turned informers against Daniel; and these informers could not find any fault or error in him, because he was faithful; then said these informers, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.' And therefore they got the king to establish

a decree in writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not; which decree was, that whosoever should ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, saving of thee, O king, they shall be cast into the den of lions. And the presidents of the kingdom, and the governors, and the princes, and the counsellors, and the captains, consulted together concerning this decree, which the king signed. Now Daniel knew the writing was signed; he went to his house, and his windows being open in his chamber, &c. he kneeled down three times of the day, and prayed and gave thanks to God, as he had done before time.' Then these men, the informers, assembled, and found Daniel praying, and making supplication before his God; then these men assembled unto the king, and informed him against Daniel; then the king commanded Daniel to be brought, and be cast into the lion's den, according the decree that they had wickedly got of the king; and the king encouraged Daniel, and said unto him, Thy God, whom thou servest, he will deliver thee.' And early in the morning the king rose, and went in haste unto the den of lions, and said, 'O Daniel, the servant of the living God! is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee?' And Daniel said, 'My God hath sent his angel, and shut up the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me, forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me, and also before thee, O king, I have done no hurt.' And then the king commanded them to take up Daniel out of the lions' den; and commanded them to take those great men, which were the accusers and informers against Daniel, and cast them, and their wives and children, into the lion's den; and the lions had the mastery over them, and broke all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. So here was the end of these devilish informers, or accusers, who were princes and presidents. And then Darius made a decree, That in every dominion of his kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even to the end.' Here you may see, God was exalted by them who believed in him, and the wicked destroying informers were destroyed.

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Jesus, for they feared the people; then entered satan into Judas, and he communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them; and they were glad, and covenanted with him, to give him money, to wit, thirty pieces of silver. And the chief priest persuaded the multitude, that they should ask Barrabas, and crucify Jesus; and all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death; and they sought false witnesses against him, but found none; at the last there came two false witnesses, and said,

'This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and build it in three days.' And Pilate sought to release Jesus; but the Jews cried out, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend,' &c. And so when these false accusers, and informers, and false witnesses, with Pilate's judgment, had crucified Jesus, after he was risen, the chief priests assembled with the elders, and after they had taken counsel, they gave large money to the soldiers that watched the sepulchre, to say, 'that Christ's disciples came by night, and stole him away while they slept.' So here is the devil and satan, which entered into the Jews, and Judas, &c. which made Judas a betrayer, and the Jews false witnesses, liars, and murderers of the just; and the Jews to this day believe their lies, and false information, that Christ's disciples stole him away by night, while the watch slept; but the Lord recompensed them all according to their works.

And you may see how satan made false witnesses and informers against Stephen; and they brought him to the high priest's court, and there he examined him; but at last you may see they murdered him, and stoned him to death, as he was calling upon God, and saying, 'Lord Jesus receive my spirit.' Acts vii.

And did not Judas betray Christ with a kiss? And was not Christ led to Caiaphas the high priest's court or hall, where the scribes and elders. were assembled; and the high priest examined him in his court, until the cock crew twice? And did not the truth that Christ spoke to the high priest, put him into such a wrath or rage, that he tore or rent his clothes?

And were not Peter and John haled before Ananias the high priest's court, where the rulers, elders, and scribes, and John, and Alexander, and many of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together? And did not they set Peter and John in the midst, and examine them, and charged them, to speak no more in the name of Jesus? But Peter and John said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you, or unto God, judge yc; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.' Then the high priest threatened them, and let them go. Acts iv.

And again, you may see how the high priest, and all that were with him, were filled with indignation, and rose up against the apostles, and cast them into the common prison; but the Lord delivered them.

And you may see all along in many places of Acts, how the Jews rose up against the apostles; and how that one of the officers came and told the chief priest and captain, that the apostles were preaching in the temple, which they cast into prison.' And the captain and the officers brought them, and set them before the council; and the high priest and they took counsel to slay him; but Gamaliel said unto them, 'ReVOL. VI.

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frain yourselves from these men, and let them alone; for if this work, or this counsel be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest happily ye be found even to fight against God.' And his counsel swayed and stopped the high priest and his court from murdering of them.

And Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, haling men and women, and committing them to prison; and Saul yet breathed out threatenings and slaughters, against the disciples of the Lord, and went to the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.' So his authority was from the chief priest to persecute; but Christ met him in the way, and told him it was hard for him to kick against the pricks;' and said unto him, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? For he was persecuting Christ in his members; and Christ converted him, and after some time sent him to Damascus to preach his gospel, where he was going to persecute. But after many days that he had preached the gospel at Damascus, the Jews there took counsel to kill him, and they watched night and day at the gates to kill him; but the disciples of Christ took Paul by night, and let him down by the wall, in a basket, and so he escaped those murdering professors, without possession, as you may see, in Acts ix. So he that went to persecute at Damascus, was persecuted at Damascus for preaching Christ, whom he was going to persecute. And here you may see how the persecutors were confounded.

And in Act xiv. there you may see how the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil-affected against the brethren; and Elimas, the sorcerer withstood Barnabas and Paul, to turn away the deputy from the faith. Here you may see the professing Jews and the sorcerer were found in one spirit; but the Jews were spiritually blind with evil, and God struck Elimas naturally blind. And the Jews, which were more than forty, that came to the chief priests and elders, and said unto them how that they had bound themselves under a curse, that they would not eat nor drink, until they had killed Paul;' and the chief priests and council were to manage this matter for these murderers; then they were to send to the captain, that kept Paul a prisoner, to bring him out of the castle, which was his prison, to the chief priests and elders, under a pretence that they would inquire something of him; and these murderers were ready to murder him, before ever he came near them. But the captain of the castle understanding the thing, the Lord put it in his mind to send Paul away, by which the innocent escaped the hands of these murdering informers and liars, which the chief priests and council had a hand in; and Paul had more mercy from the Roman captain, than he had from the professing Jews

and their priests. And after awhile Ananias, the high priest, with the elders, with a certain orator named Tertullus, informed the governor Felix against Paul; and after a great deal of daubing, and plausible expressions, as you may see, in Acts xxiv. said they, We have found this man, a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes :' and so after many grievous false charges they laid against Paul, Paul had liberty to clear himself of their lies, and slanders, and false informations. And when they had kept Paul about two years in prison there, Festus came into the province; then the high priest, and chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, the Jews lying in wait in the way to kill him; but Festus said unto them, Which among you are able, go down to Cesaria to accuse this man;' and when they came there, they laid many grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove; and so the Lord delivered him out of these murderous informers' hands, though Festus would have done the Jews a pleasure, as by having Paul up to Jerusalem, to be judged there by him; but Paul appealing unto Cæsar, prevented him, and the Jews, and the high priests, of their design against him, as you may see, in Acts xxv. more at large.

And what became of Jezebel, with her informing letters, that she wrote in Ahab's name to the elders and nobles that were in the city, dwelling with Naboth; who bid them proclaim a fast, and set up Naboth on high among the people; and sent two sons of Belial before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king;' and then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. And they did so, according to Jezebel's information; and when they had killed him, she and her husband took possession of his estate. But what destruction came upon Ahab and Jezebel, and all those that took their part, as you may read the sentence and judgment, 1 Kings xxi.

And therefore let all murderers, informers, and sons of Belial, take heed, who seek the destruction of the righteous, in that they bring destruction upon themselves, as you may see all along in the scriptures, what was the end of such, whether they were high or low, priest, professor, or prophane, the righteous God spared none; and therefore read the scriptures from one end of the book to the other, and there you may see the sad examples and judgments that have come on such, whom the devil, who was the great informer, hath made liars and informers, false witnesses, and false accusers, against the righteous; and let them be like so many way-marks, to shun the evil. But Christ is come to destroy the devil and his works, and to bruise his head,' who was the informer against Job, and the false teacher and informer of Adam and Eve to transgress the command of God; therefore, if Christ destroy