reformation but we should begin it at the right end our own wicked hearts and lives and not at the Heads of our Superiors to complain that the days are evil with a design by such complaints to make them worse to search after remote and secret causes and overlook those that are so near and obvious in our own bosoms and with the Harlot in Solomon having overlayed her own child to accuse a tender mother 1 Kings 3.20 and seek to deprive her of her living child is a subtle design but such as could not stand the Test of Solomon and a greater than Solomon will judge such men It was observed by the Royal Martyr that whoever intended to bring forth confusion in a Church or State have used the Midwifry of complaints and tumults By this Artifice Absalom stole the hearts of the people from his Father David See thy cause is right but there is no man deputed of the King to do thee justice 2 Sam. 13.3 when the design was O that I were judge in Israel And to facilitate his design he remembreth his Vow at Hebron that under pretence of Piety to God he might strengthen his party and the more impunely cast off his obedience to his Father By the like art Jeroboam had stoln the hearts of Solomon's Subjects and made a great part of Israel to sin with him For though the foundations of Solomons Government were such as might have made all Israel as firm as Mount Sion which could not be moved though in his days there was a confluence of all those blessings whereof one or two might have made another Nation happy yet by their whining murmurings and restless complaints of heavy yoaks and approaching Idolatry of the hainous sins and imminent dangers of the Nation they did tantum non fail but a little of subverting the whole frame of the best established Government in the world But Solomon had a jealous ear which heard all these things and was assisted with more than humane prudence and power to suppress them He crusheth this Cockatrice in the Egg and discovers the folly and impiety of it Thou dost not inquire wisely c. which brings us to the last part of the Text non ex sapientiâ Witty men there might be among such ingeniosi in malum publicum but they were neither wise nor good men in the sence of Solomon For whether by wisdom we understand moral prudence or as most Expositors true piety and the fear of God they who thus causlesly murmured against the King had neither they acted both against Reason and Religion First against Reason For what is more irrational than solicitously to enquire after the causes of those things that are not They might as well ask why the Sun had lost its light or the foundations of the earth were removed which were as true as that the former days were better than those of Solomon which will appear by a short view of the Church and State of Israel in the days of Solomon For 1. In riches and wisdom Solomon exceeded all the Kings of the earth that were before him 1 Kings 10.27 The Vessels and Utensils of Gods House as well as the Kings were of beaten Gold for Gold was as common as silver and silver as the stones in the streets of Jerusalem 1 Kings 9.28 And his Royal Navy commanded the Trade of the world and kept his Exchequer always full and running over bringing home 666 Talents of Gold at a time besides the rich merchandize from Tyre and Egypt There was also a general peace to injoy this great plenty for Solomon was in this a Type of Christ there was neither adversary nor evil occurrence 1 Kings 4. but all Judah and Israel which made a prey of each other in the days of David were united and dwelt safely every man under his own Vine and under his own fig-tree from Dan to Beersheba there was a general and perpetual peace all the dayes of Solomon ver 25. Which peace was the more admirable because that though Adonijah had usurped the Kingdom and strengthned himself by the heads of divers factions Joab among the souldiers and Abiathar among the Priests and Shimei chief of the Benjamites yet was he setled on his Fathers Throne without shedding of bloud or any opposition His League also with Hiram deserves a remark being a friend to the True Religion and the most potent and skilful in Sea-affairs But what is especially to be noted is that all these blessings were confirmed to him by a promise from God for his father Davids sake 1 Kings 11.12 2. His clemency did adorn his peace for he pardoned such offenders as could obtain pardon from themselves Adonijah that had usurped the Kingdom and Joab that had barbarously slain Abner and Amasa Captains of his Fathers Host and Abiathar a revolted Priest that had strengthned the hands of the Usurper and Shimei also who having got the upper ground of David spit his venome in his Royal face reviling him maledictione forti with all the virulence he could 2 Sam. 16.7 Yet 3. His clemency was seasoned with justice which was inflicted on incorrigible offenders without respect of persons high and low natives and strangers particularly on Shimei for that horrid fact on the person of his father whom he commanded to be slain by the hand of Benaiah and the kingdom was thereby established in the hand of Solomon 4. His Maximes of Government were of infallible and eternal verity such as these Mercy and truth preserve the King and by righteousness shall his throne be established Pro. 20.28 It is the honour of a King to search out a matter Pro. 25.2 In the multitude of Counsellors there is peace But where no counsel is the people fall 11.14 Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Pro. 14.34 And his men were suited to his Maxims men of gravity and experience of prudence piety and moderation such as would have secured the Crown to Rehoboam had he not rejected them and inclined to greener heads that were brought up with him All these blessings he dispensed with great wisdom having a heart as capacious as the sand on the Sea-shore Which wisdom he acquired partly by giving his heart to it but it was perfected by the gift of God This made his face to shine so as he attracted the admiration of all the Kings of the Earth and the Queen of the South came from far to be an Ear witness of it and envyed the happiness of his Subjects This wisdom he demonstrated to be better than strength by suppressing strife and contention in the first rise of it He carefully observed all the motions of the people and neglected not in times of peace to make provision for war He had many fortified Cities and 40000 stalls for the horses of his Chariots and 40000 horse and his people were as the sand as for number Notwithstanding all this preparation of Chariots
hearts of the credulous people their fears and jealousies their lyes and slanders their murmurings and discontent they would in a short time remove the well Established Foundations of Church and State The God of Peace Unity and Concord who stilleth the raging of the Sea allay the madness of such people And give us all that peace which the world cannot give that our hearts may be set to obey his Commandments and also that by him we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour So daily prayeth Your Lordships most Humble and Obliged Servant THO. LONG A SERMON AGAINST Murmuring Ecclesiastes vii 10. Say not thou what is the cause that the former days were better than these For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this THERE is nothing wanting to complete the Solemnity of this Day or indeed the happiness of the Whole Nation besides Thankful and Obedient hearts to God and the King for the many incomparable blessings which under them we now enjoy That character which the Royal Prophet gives Psal 144. of a blessed people agrees well with us for first which is the foundation of all we have the Lord to be our God v. last And our God hath given Salvation to our King ver 10. He hath delivered David his Servant from the peril of the Sword And again he hath delivered him from the hand of strange children whose mouth speaketh of vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood And now our Sons grow up as young plants and our daughters are as the polished corners of the Temple our Garners are full affording all manner of store our Sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets There is no decay of Trade no leading into Captivity Only we cannot say there is no complaining in our streets This sin lyeth as an indeleble reproach upon our Nation We English-men never know when we are well But what shall we say when the most prosperous raign of Peaceable Solomon was disturbed with the Murmurings of Male-contents it is no wonder if it be so with us Every ear is filled with the hissing of such Serpents and the noise which they make among the Thickets of the people but it will require the wisdom of Solomon to charm them and he did it so effectually that though they did some time hiss at him yet they could never hurt him for there was peace all the days of Solomon And that it may be so with us I shall follow the method prescribed in the Text where First We have a Royal Prohibition Ne dicas say not thou Secondly We have the sin described against which the Prohibition lyeth which by consent of the best Expositors is a murmuring and repining at the present Dispensations of God and the Administration of Publick affairs by our Governors Thirdly We have the secret and subtile pretences by which it insinuates it self to the hearts of the people What is the cause and a false and odious comparison between the former and the present times The former times were better than these And Fourthly The folly and impiety of such secret and mischievous Arts Thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this First Of the Royal Prohibition Say not thou that is Though you question the King's Prerogative yet quarrel not with the Prerogative of God by whom Kings Reign and Princes decree judgment as if he did not set fit Governours over us or did not still retain a power over them who hath the hearts of all Kings in his hands and disposeth of them to his own wise and gracious ends either for the punishment or prosperity of a Nation If the former days were better it was God's will to have them so and the present are not so bad but we by our ingratitude deserve to have them worse If we will not submit to Solomons rod God may send a Rehoboam to chastise us with Scorpions Know therefore that this sin doth not terminate in the persons or government of our Princes but invades the Throne of God as Moses told the Israelites your murmuring is not against us but against the Lord. Ex. 16.8 And therefore Solomon strikes a blow at the root of this sin the ne dicas is ne dicas corde admit not a discontented thought for as where the Serpent gets in his head he easily skrews in his whole body so where the heart is sowred with a little of this Leaven it ferments and envenometh the whole man infects the neighbourhood and troubleth the whole Nation Solomon expounds the ne dicas in the Text by ne maledicas ch 10.20 for to murmur is secretò maledicere and we are not to speak evil of the Rulers of the people ne in Conscientiâ not under a pretence of Conscience because we must submit for Conscience-sake we may not do it in scientia not speak the evil we know by them It is not fit to say to a King Thou art wicked Job 34.18 Much less maist thou do it in conclavibus among thy Confidents in private meetings It is probably conjectured that Solomon had respect to Jeroboam and his confederates 1 Kings 12.26 Dixit corde He said in his heart now shall the kingdom return to the house of David He had learnt by Shimei's punishment not to rail or conspire openly against the King but contrived secretly for though it be said that he lift up his hand against the King it was not in open rebellion for there was no war in Solomon's days but the phrase signifyeth juramento se obligavit he and his confederates entred into a Covenant against the King the mischievous effects whereof though they were supprest by the wisdom of Solomon all his days yet they brake out in the days of his Successor and they complain even of Solomon himself Thy Father made our yoke grievous 1 Kings 12.4 Now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us lighter And yet we read not of any contribution except for the building of Gods house or the necessary support of his own to both which the people for the most part offered willingly Nevertheless this gracious and peaceable Prince had many enemies who hated him as Davids enemies did without a cause 1 Kings 2.15 They acknowledged that God as well as his father designed him for the Crown and setled it on his head against all opposition for Adonijah usurped the kingdom Abiathar Joab and Shimei abetted the Usurpation and were all defeated God appearing for Solomon not once or twice for the preservation of him from such enemies was a daily miracle But Jeroboam Solomons servant whom he had preferred and greatly honoured was his most dangerous and implacable enemy who filled the peoples hearts with fears and jealousies and their mouths with complaints of his Government and very industrious he was to find out some real cause for
observes there is only this difference between seditious murmurings and seditious tumults that the one is the Brother and the other the Sister Tumults and Seditions are more masculine but Murmurings as malicious Which the Ancients have ingeniously described in the Fable of the Giants which the earth brought forth who for warring against the gods were smitten with Thunderbolts and to revenge their death the Earth laboured again and brought forth Fame The Moral is this The Common people are that Earth who opposing their Governours were subdued by force of Arms but to be avenged of them they brought forth Fame i.e. Seditious reports and slanders which had such secret motions and subtle evasions that the gods themselves i.e. their Governors could not silence them Which is the third thing proposed the subtle pretences by which this lust insinuates it self what is the cause c. As if they had said The present times are much degenerated from the former and are still growing worse Atheisin is increased and Godliness discouraged vile persons are exalted and such as are truly honourable despised and there are few or none that are valiant for the truth or shew their zeal for the Lord of Hosts In former times men were more active for Reformation of abuses both in Church and State there wanted not some that would tell King David his faults to his face and accuse him for a man of bloud and if he seemed not to hear the Curses of Shimei there was a Sheba to blow a Trumpet and proclaim Every man to his tents O Israel 1 Kings 12.16 Nay there was an Achitophel whose Counsel was esteemed as an Oracle of God that prevailed with Absalom to undertake to redress the Grievances of the people 2 Sam. 16.15 and these made their party strong enough to drive the King out of all his strong holds and chase him not only from one mountain to another but from one Kingdom to another and at last to bind the King himselfe in chains and his Nobles in fetters of Iron And this honour had those ancient Saints And as for Church Reformation we have the Examples of those Godly zealots that publickly protested against those Superstitious vanities and heathenish customs which David would have joyned to the Worship of God such as his bowing and dancing before the Ark his appointing several Orders of Priests and Levites with Vocal and Instrumenral musick for the Service of the Temple who were to praise God with the Psaltery and Harp and to stand every morning and evening to praise God for his mercy endureth for every 1 Chron. 23.30 1 Kings 12.28 And as for the costly ornaments the vessels of Gold and Silver the Painted and Carved works there were those that brake them down with Axes and Hammers and took to themselves the Houses of God in possession yea they propagated a more simple and purer Worship such as that of Jeroboam who brought their houshold-gods to their doors and set up Calves at Dan and Bethel making Priests of the meanest of the people who were contented with the free-will Offerings of their Brethren But now though this liberty of Conscience be denyed us and King Solomon hath established by a Law all that David intended though he have built and beautified the Temple and obligeth us to that publick place of Worship and enjoyns us to Worship and fall down and kneel as if God were there present Ps 95.6 Though he requires an Uniformity to all those Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving which were composed by David and Asaph 2 Chron. 29.30 and to joyn with the Levites which were the Singers being arayed in white linnen having Cymbals Psalteries and Harps to make one sound in Praising and Thanking the Lord 2 Chron. 5.12 Yea though Solomon do stint the Spirit of prayer in Gods Ministers and forbids them to be rash with their mouths Eccles 5.2 and to let their tongues be hasty to utter any thing before the Lord as if our extemporary prayers were the Sacrifices of fools yet may we not complain or so much as Petition against these grievous impositions Nay what is yet worse we are required to renounce the Vow at Hebron and the Solemn League which Jeroboam and his godly party took with hands lifted up to heaven and instead of the Vow to God we are told we must keep the Kings command and that in regard of the oath of God ch 8.2 And we must also declare that against the King there is no rising up Pro. 30.3 upon any pretence whatsoever nor against such as are commissioned by him but if the spirit of subordinate Rulers rise up against us we may not go out of our places Eccl. 10.4 nor stir beyond our private callings and capacities but fear God and the King and not meddle with them that are given to change Pro. 24.21 though it be for a thorow Reformation And in a word Solomon would put such a gag in our mouths that we may not so much as demand What is the cause that the former days were better than these But I have saved these men the labour in summing up all the Causes of the pretended evils of their-times and how frivolous they are appears evidently by this that David appointed nothing for the publick Worship of God but what he graciously accepted And all that Solomon injoyned was immediately directed by the Spirit of God and stands recorded in the Holy Scriptures as general rules to be observed in the publick Worship of God to all succeeding ages Solomon well knew that the evils in his days were caused by the Complaints of those malicious men who were enemies to his Fathers Government as well as his own that they intended to bring his Person and Government into contempt and minded not the redress of publick grievances as much as of their private fortunes and if the times were evil they took a direct course to make them worse by endeavouring to overthrow all those Constitutions which both Solomon and his father David had well established He knew that if these Male-contents were permitted to sow these seeds of Rebellion they would like the Dragons teeth sowed by Gadmus spring up into Armed men that would destroy their Brethren God forbid that we should be insensible of our own sins or of the tokens of Gods wrath that are upon us That our Religion should be as Sion of old whom no man cared for or that we should suffer our selves to be led into Captivity as we were brought out of it as men in a dream It is our Interest as well as our duty to mourn for other mens sins as well as our own but we should do that in secret and take heed that under a pretence of reproving their sins we do not pour out reproach on their persons and government and by such art so spread abroad their infirmities as to make a cloak for our own iniquities We may also be instrumental in a
Ark of God setled in the beauty of holiness could say with Mephibosheth Let them take all for as much as my Lord the King is come to his house in peace 2 Sam. 19.30 and were found faithful and peaceable in the Land They were the murmurers who as Ziba Sauls servant had made themselves great with the spoils of the Crown and Church lands but were made to refund a part of it Though they still enjoyed not only the publick blessings of peace and plenty and a rich trade and were received not only to mercy but into favour and did partake of the Wealthy and Honourable Offices of the Nation equally if not beyond those that had better deserved them did yet think themselves not duly rewarded as in truth they were not and on all occasions reproached the footsteps of Gods anointed and did not only turn their backs on the Ordinances of the King but lift up their heels against the Ordinances of God also 6. It is unreasonable to murmur and repine at those things in others which they practised and allowed in themselves They complained that Solomon chastised them with Rods when they wounded him with Scorpions They accused him for endeavouring to rule by an Arbitrary power though he governed himself according to the known Laws of God and the Nation and often relaxed the severity and suspended the execution of them while they lived in a bold contempt and violation of them all Great cries were raised against the Oath of God and the King and against Uniformity to the Temple Worship when they thought they were all ingaged by Jeroboams Covenant to bring all within the Kings Dominions to an Uniformity according to his Directory for Worship A Toleration was thought intolerable when Jeroboam had set up his Calves and he himself burnt Incense and made Priests of the lowest of the people lest the Kingdom should return to the house of David for the true worship of God would reduce them to obedience to their lawful King 1 Kings 12.26 2 Kings 12.28 But under the Temple service a Toleration is pleaded for as necessary for the ease and liberty of the people and if it be denyed they complain of Tyranny and Persecution when by this means Jeroboam and a few dissenters under him deluded the people and making them believe that he and his Calves were the Gods that brought them out of Fgypt ver 28. led them directly thither and betrayed them to that abominable Idolatry So that in truth the Indulgence which was granted them did produce more mischief than all the punishments inflicted by Solomon which they causlesly called persecution Wherefore thou art inexcusable O man whoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self seeing thou dost the same or worse things And though thou escape the judgment of man yet think not that thou shalt escape the judgment of God Rom. 2.1 3. 7. What is more unreasonable than for men to take occasion to grow more troublesome from those things which should quiet them as discontented spirits are wont to do Let favour be shewed to the wicked and he is the more bold and presumptuous They turn the grace of God and the King too into wantonness Every indulgence as to froward children makes them more pettish and insolent every concession and yielding is used as a step for them to ascend higher and press forward until they get uppermost The craving humor increaseth by being fed and with Solomons horse-leech thy cry Give Give though they have swallowed so much that they are ready to burst Never was any thing in the world so well established but there were some envious men that found fault with it Lastly It is irrational because it is an incurable evil It is opprobrium medicorum such a plague of the heart as the best State Physicians have not been able to cure It will not admit a plaister or a medicine to be applied to it This evil spirit though it be not dumb yet is it so deaf that it will not hear the voice of any Charmer though he charm never so wisely Neither the mercies nor judgments of God nor the meekness nor miracles of Moses could convince the murmuring Israelites And when some of them saw Corah and his company swallowed up of the earth yet as if there had been a transmigration of their Souls into their Survivors the next morning they murmur again saying Ye have slain the people of the Lord. The worst sort of Spirits that we read of might be cast out by Prayer and Fasting but this kind can fast and pray and seemingly reform and sweep and garnish the house and then admit seven worse than it self and at the end is worse than in the beginning The Scripture compares this murmuring and rebellious spirit to the sin of Witchcraft which is seldom reclaimed to a pious or sober temper for like men in a Consumption they seem pleased with the disease and as Jonah they think they do well to be angry with God himself which is the next particular it is not only irrational but irreligious First because these men make lyes their refuge and seek to hide their sin under false pretences for it were easie to prove that no times before Solomon were so prosperous as his Though David his Father was a man after Gods own heart yet neither he nor the Ark of God could find a resting place It was yet worse in the days of Saul between whom and the house of David there was continual war and before that in the days of Samuel when God himself was their King we find that they rejected not Samuel only but God himself And in the times of Anarchy when there was no King in Israel there was no peace to him that went out or to him that came in but every man did what seemed good in his own eyes Before this how long did God bear with the murmuring Israelites not in the wilderness only under Moses the meekest man upon Earth and Aaron the Saint of the Lord but in Canaan against God himself And from the beginning Cain slew Abel and so it will be to the end of the world So that it was a false pretence that the former days were better than Solomons 2. It was irreligious because Religion teacheth us with all thankfulness to acknowledge the blessings of God and to say with Jacob I am less than the least of all thy mercies and not to undervalue them and expostulate with God why am I thus and what is the cause as if the Almighty had not rewarded us according to our deserts or ought to do nothing but what our reason approves of They ought to have considered how happy they might have been under such a King the Son of such a Father upon whom God had set such Signatures of his own wisdom Clemency and justice whom God made his Jedidiah from his birth and appeared more than once or twice in