and a Mother-sin O hate it and beware of it Thirdly This surely is a hurtful evil hurtful to others and hurtful to our selves it is an Enemy to all Societies being contrair to the end of Society to wit the common Good for it seeks mens private good above the common Good And as it divides Interests so it divides Affections and makes Divisions in the Church and State this is contrair to the disposition and temper that should be in the Members of a Society who should be all animat by a common Spirit There can be no promoting of publick Ends by a privat selfish Spirit We cannot promot the publick Good without a publick Spirit This is it which divideth all Societies this occasions all Jealousies between King and People all Emulation between Neighbour and Neighbour this occcasions division in the State and Schism in the Church this is a great cause of War and Confusion Fraud and Oppression and what a world of mischief would selfishness do if Grace and Divine Providence did not put a stop to it Fourthly It is hurtful to our selves men lose themselves by seeking themselves with the neglect of the common good Men by their selfishness they certainly lose not only the peace of their own mind which they might have by doing good and aiming at the publick good but set all others against them and when they divide Interests from all men all men divide Interests from them for this is their Principle that neglect of the Publick is the way to be best preserved and the great safety of their own particular This is the sure way foolishly to ruine all as if when a House is in Fire a Man should think it enough it has not seized yet on my Chamber or when a Ship is sinking to look only to our own Cabin and Goods without care to stop the common Leak O let me beseech you to beware of this Secondly Let me beseech you dearly Beloved labour for a Publick frame of Spirit O imitat these Worthies in the Text prefer Jerusalem to your chief Joy in your esteem desire and endeavour prefer the publick good of Church and State above all our privat Concerns above all your personal and privat Comforts Is not this a more excellent end than selfish Interest even the pleasing and glorifying of God in the promoting the publick Good O that I could prevail with you in this it would surely be your great Advantage and sure if either ye regard the Honour of God or your own true Interest you cannot say me nay Let me plead with you from these Reasons First The Honour of God is concerned in it It 's more concerned in the publick Good of Church and State than in your own personal Concern And O! but the Honour of God lyes nigh to the heart of every one that loveth God This is the end for which we were made Secondly Mind the publick Good more than your privat Interest for this makes you like God and your Saviour Jesus Christ God is always doing Good to the Evil and Unthankful Christ Jesus from the Womb to the Grave by his Dying and Suffering teaches us this Lesson even to mind others and the Publick Good He pleased not himself Rom. 15.3 Let the same Mind be therefore in you which was in Christ Jesus who made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.5 7. Who gave himself for the good of others and humbled himself unto Death even the Death of the Cross v. 8. Thirdly O! but the Advantage of this would be unspeakable if all of us were brought to this Temper to mind the publick Good more than our own O how amiable a Creature would man be and what a blessed Condition would the World be in and all Societies Kingdoms Cities and Churches be in if Self were denyed and every one minded the common and publick God above their own privat and personal Interest This would prevent neglect of Duties and doing of hurt to others there would not be such a thing as Injustice and uncharitableness among men Emulation Strife and Envy no divided Interest and so no divided Affection no division in the State No Jealousie between the Ruler and Ruled if this were If there were complication of Interests there would be an Union of Affections As we see in Husband and Wife in Parents and Children This were a good Policy in States men and next to Piety towards God which leadeth to the uniting People to God and to favour with him wherein all our Happiness stands and indeed what ever the World think of it it is the greatest Wisdom and Policy Next I say to this the greatest point of humane Policy for preservation of Commonwealths and Societies were that the Governour and Governed have no divided Interest so that the good or hurt of the one is the good or hurt of the other and there is no manner of hope that the one of them shall thrive by the ruine of the other Then they would willingly take one another for better and for worse to stand and fall together If the Politicians had the Skill and Will to make such a complication of Interests betwixt Soveraign and People Ruler and Ruled as the Wellfare and hurt of the one might depend on the Wellfare and hurt of the other and make it visible that all might understand it Certainly Kingdoms and Common-wealths might be Immortal till either the wrath of an offended God or the power of a Forraign Enemy should dissolve them for nothing within would do it if Self did it not and Self will not do it where there is such Complication of Interests O then study to be denied to Self and to be of a publick frame of Spirit Secondly Consider this would be each one of our particular Advantage the good of your Families and Posterity depends on the good of the Publick your own Honour is concerned in this Will you tell me which of these two were a more desirable Inscription on a Man's Tomb Here lyes a man that for his Selfish ends did his outmost to ruine both Church and State Or Here lies a Man that in all his Consultations aimed at the Publick Good And beside the Peace it would minister to mens Consciences in Life and Death our own temporal Peace and Welfare is wrapped up in the Publick Good O! be like Mordecai Esth 10.3 seeking always the wealth of his People And beware as Baruch Jer. 45.5 To seek great things for thy self Fourthly If we neglect the Publick Good for our own particular Concerns Heathens will rise up in Judgement against us and Condemn us O what a love to their Country did they shew I shall but give you two Instances out of Plutarch see Plutarch's Politicks page 39 40. in Octavo the one is of Cretinas the Magnesian and Hermias betwixt whom there was great Animosity but in the time of the Mithridatick War Cretinas saies let Hermias have the Government and I shall remove from the City for I
on heaps See it also in Jer. chap 9. at the beginning O that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people And what a height of this frame was in the holy Apostle Paul Rom. 9.1 I could even be content to be accursed from Christ for my kinsmen according to the flesh Time would fail me to tell you of Joshua Uriah and David and of Daniel of Mordecai and Esther and others of the Saints in former times but if we would search the Scriptures every-where we will find that the condition of Religion of the Church of God and their Country lay nearer the Saints hearts than their own particular Their hearts trembled when it was in danger when it is reproached it is a burden to them If it be in distress they mourn they mourn for Zion and Jerusalem Isai 66.10 Rejoyce for Jerusalem all ye that mourn for her 1 Sam. 4.13 Eli's heart trembled for the Ark of God Zephan 3.18 The reproach of her was a burden And when in distress how fervent in Prayer are they Psalm 14.7 O that the salvation of God were come out of Zion when the Lord bringeth back the Captivity of his People Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad And Psal 51. ver 18. Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion and build up the walls of Jerusalem Psal 25.22 Redeem Israel O God out of all his troubles And how restless are they in this Isai 62.1 6 7. They will give him no rest till he establish Jerusalem and make it a praise in the Earth So you see the truth of the Doctrine and there is good reason for it First The Honour of God is concerned in it more than any particular and this is the great thing lyes near every good man's heart God's honour What wilt thou do to thy great Name How are they troubled in their hearts when the Name of God is reproached Secondly Every particular person is but a Member of the Society of Church and State and the part is for the whole and what is for the good of the Society their good is wrapt up in it they should mind the good of the whole more than their own private concern hence the Spirit resembles the Church to a Body Rom. 12. and 1 Cor. ch 12. Eph 4. shewing If one Member suffer all the rest suffer with it so that all is for the Bodies good and all Gifts are given for the advancing and edifying of the Body we live not to our selves neither dye we to our selves but for God and serving him in the publick Good this much for the proof of the Doctrine For Application I might first Take occasion to lament how little of this publick Spirit is to be seen among us Ah! ah there is matter to renew that old Complaint All seek their own things but few the things of Christ Phil. 2.21 Which is contrair to that Precept 1 Cor. 10.14 Seek not every one their own things but every one the things of another Alas too many like that old fat Monk of whom it is storied that stroaking down his Breast and his Belly said Modo hic sit bene providing it be well with himself cared little how the World went about him so many care little how it go with Church or State if it go well with their own particular O! but this argues a sordid frame of heart that if it go well with themselves and they prosper they care little how it goes with others about them Alas what a shameful sin is this and a cause of much sin and wo and a sin that seminally and casually contains most of other sins let us be humbled for it and afterward beware of this and that shall be the 2. Use of Exhortation and here I would with all possible seriousness commend two things to you 1. Beware of a narrow selfish Disposition 2. I commend unto you to labour for a Publick frame of Spirit that like these in the Text ye may prefer Jerusalem above your chief Joy 1. Then beware of a selfish Disposition that Self be neither your Principle nor End I the rather urge this with Earnestness because first I see this a very common Sin and yet a Sin we are hardly convinced of First Selfishness is the most common sin in the World look either to Church or State to Magistrats or Ministers to High or to Low ye may discover much of the prevalent influence of Selfishness This is matter of Lamentation yea I think it is a sad truth that every Man and Woman among us now since the Fall is born with a selfish inclination and are not easily convinced of the sinfulness of it Because God hath made Man with a natural love to self and made it as a fundamental Principle and Law of Nature therefore it is hard to make us sensible when this Love gets out of due subordination to the Love of God and out of that due correlation to that Love we ought to have to our Neighbour as ourselves This makes us we are not easily convinced of it and so hardly recovered from it Some are so intent on Gain and enlarging their Estates without regard to Justice or Charity as if their desire were that they may place themselves alone on the Earth Isa 5.8 Others so intent on their Honour and Rising in the World that they care not though they rise by the Blood and Ruine of them that stand in their way yea such is the Deceit of mens hearts in this matter men may pretend the publick Good when Self is at the bottom of all Some will pretend they are for Peace Order and Publick Good when it is that they and theirs may possess the fat Benefices of the Church or State Sometimes Men may pretend to the Reforming of Abuses rectifying or preventing Disorders when Envy and Discontent the casting down others and raising up themselves acteth them yea the Honour of God may be pretended when the exalting ourselves and our own Party is designed Yea Ministers if they watch not may be led to pray for self and preach for self This then being so common a sin how much need is there to stir up all of you to watch against a selfish disposition Secondly I would the rather call to this because as it is a common so it is a great and grievous sin a Mother sin I may say a selfish Disposition is much of the cause of all the sin in the world it is directly opposite to the love of God above all and to the love of our Neighbour as our selves which is the sum of the Law A man that is selfish can with no sincerity pray Thy Will be done thy Kingdom come for he exalts his own Interest more than Gods and his own Will above and against Gods And this is the cause of much iniquity in the world and this being so great a sin
second thing I recommend to you O study by your Example and Authority to Disgrace and Suppress all Debauchery and Impiety in the Country and Armies remember that Word 1 Sam. 2.30 Him that honoureth me I will honour and he that despiseth me shall be lightly esteemed Remember it it 's not enough to profess a Zeal against Arbitrariness in the State or Popery in the Church if we continue by Debauchery and Impiety to prophane our Holy Religion this is no less offensive to God than Popery God expects from us Reformation of our Hearts and Lives that as we profess a more Holy Religion than others so we may lead more holy Lives else we cannot expect God will be with us but our Sins will provoke God to repent of the Good he thought to have to done and to return to do us evil after he has done us good Jer. 18.10 and Josh 23.15 our Sin will be the greater and the Judgment the more heavy that it is after so wonderful a Revelation And no Wisdom or Strength will keep off Wrath if we go on in Sin Ezra 9.14 And there is nothing feareth me more than that Alas we are not reformed and become better by all that God hath done Isai 9.13 14. Bestir your selves noble Patriots O study by your own Example to disgrace the hateful Sins of Cursing and Swearing of Filthiness and Drunkenness of Pride and of Oppression and all Injustice and endeavour to suppress these and such like Sins as by a due Execution of Laws made so by a supply where there is any defect of such wholsome Laws And I wish a due care may be taken to suppress Debauchery in the Army It is a common regrate that too many in it I speak not of all I know the contrary of some but too many neither fear God nor regard Man There is indeed to look to it that they be Men of Skill and Fidelity and not Impious for how can they be true to Man who have no fear of God the Debaucheries of some and the Irregularities of others doth much prejudice to the common Cause and both ought to be restrained Certainly it is a shame for those who stand up for a holy Religion to be leading filthy lives Cursing and Damming on the Streets Drinking and Debauching c. I beseech you restrain these Surely at such a time there is need both People and Souldiers mind that word Deut. 23.9 14. When the host goeth forth against the enemy then keep thee far from every wicked thing for the Lord thy God is among you and if he see any unclean thing among you he will leave you to fall before your Enemies this holy care were the way to Victory and Peace Psal 81.13 O that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways I should have soon subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves to him but for them they should have remained for ever Thirdly I would humbly offer this as my advice go forward zealously in setling the Government of the Church of Christ according to his own appointment This is a choice mean to promote Piety and to suppress Sin I recommend to you that word of Artaxerxes Ezra 7.23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven let it be done diligently for the House of the God of Heaven for why should wrath come from the God of Heaven upon the Realm of the King and his Sons I cannot but commend you and bless the Lord that with so much Unity and Harmony you have gone some footsteps already go on and the Lord be with you and let none give way to these prejudices wherewith some endeavour to possess mens minds against Presbyterial Government as an intollerable yoke and rigid as some Pamphlets now passing would represent it for if you give way to such ye may cast at the Christian Religion ere long for it hath been evil spoken of by the Adversaries and tho there ought to be a due Zeal against Error and Vice yet I am confident there shall be that due moderation which the Gospel prescribes used toward all that are Pious and Orthodox that shall be satisfying and pleading to every one that loveth truth and holiness Neither I beseech you impute the irregular Practices of some unto the Principles of the whole Party for these things we do disown I am sorry for the Sufferings of any but if any had designed a representation of their Suffering I wish it had wanted that Gall and Venome against the Civil Government wherewith some Pamphlets are filled and that there had been more Candor Ingenuity and Honesty used in relating matters of Fact the want of which perhaps may occasion such a search as may discover that the Sufferings of some has been rather the effect of their own scandalous sins than of others hands And tho' I have a great Charity to all that are pious and sound in the Principal Doctrines of the Faith tho' they differ in lesser things yet I must crave leave freely to profess before this great Auditory that ere I did intrude my self or consent to be obtruded on an unwilling People as it was in most places of the West I had rather beg my Fraught to have carried me over to America to preach to a willing People And it is an old Canon in the Church Nemo invitus obtrudatur 4. As I beseech you to advance Holiness toward God so endeavour to promote Righteousness toward Man that in all Courts of Judicature there may be such Judges as are mentioned Exod. 18.21 Men fearing God loving truth and hating covetousness and charge them as Deut. 1.16 17. That such judge righteously between man and man and have no respect of persons in judgment for they judge for the Lord. And provide as much as in you lyeth that there be no partiality nor perverting nor delay of Justice but that Judgment may run down like a Stream and Righteousness like a mighty River 5. I humbly beseech you of that Honourable Court consider what you may do for the Peace and Safety of the Country its Case may be better known to many of you than to me yet I must crave leave to represent unto you the Case especially of some Northern parts some are ravaged and spoiled with some barbarous Highlanders and others burdened with Free-quarter for want of the pay of the Army and the Cries of the Poor cry for your pity and call for your speedy help Ye that settled the Government will ye not uphold it and study the safety of the Country under it If this Ruine fall under your hand it may ruine Posterity ruine Religion and prove a great grief of heart to you that are wanting of doing your duty while it is in the power of your hand to do it Eccl. 9.10 I presume not to prescribe Methods to you but humbly plead the Cause of the Distrest and that