perfectly practised by any but such Serpents will slipperily insinuate themselves into your Company be sure then as soon as you know them to discover both them and whatever you know of their Projects Councils that immediately In the name of God let nothing of this kind sleep with you Let not that false opinion of I know not what vain honour which has made some men to their costs shy of impeaching others betray you to conceal what may operate to your own and the publick Ruine Certainly my King my Countrey the Church or if these be less dear to any my Family and my self ought to be loved first and before any particular Friend or Associate Consult therefore chiefly the welfare of these And I pray you remember concealing Treason is Treason not only by the Laws of England but by the Old Judicial Law amongst the Jews which derived from God himself According to this Divine Law or the Mishpat Hammeluchah the Statutes of the Kingdom a Book written by Samuel at the command of God and said to be laid up before the Lord 1 Sam. x. 25. Saul pronounces them guilty of High-Treason who knew when David fled and did not shew it 1 Sam. xxii 17. And his Sentence had undoubtedly been just had either David or the Priests been guilty of the matter of Fact charged respectively on them Even the principles of common reason and justice the grounds of all good Laws will conclude as much Wherefore we ought to look upon it as a matter against good Conscience as well as against Prudence and Common Law to conceal such treasonable discourses or designs as come to our knowledge 5. Spread not those Idle Stories or Suspicions which go up and down of publick Dangers If you can in the beginning trace them to their head to any true or probable Original so as to fix them on their malicious Authors do so and as before said discover them Then in all likelyhood you have put an end both to the Lye and its Mischief You have crusht the Cockatrice in its Egg. Otherwise know they are devised by cunning and ill-affected Men and put into Fools Mouths to report that the Devisers may take their advantages of those reports either by affixing their own Malice on innocent Men or by gaining some plausible pretence for the Spleen they would wreak so that they may be able when time comes with some colour to call Spite and Wrong by the names of Justice or Self-Defence In Levit. xix 16. we have a peculiar precept which explains the ninth Commandment fitly to our present purpose Thou shalt not go up and down as a Talebearer amongst thy People nor shalt thou stand against the Blood of thy Neighbour To spread Reports and Tales is one of the most mischievous kinds of bearing false witness And there are publick Tale-bearers as well as private ones Truely there are some that seem to make it not so much a Trade as the Business of their Lives they catch up all the Rumours that are going and have their Customers both to bring them in and to vent them too These people are ill members both of Church and State Particularly I cannot but take notice of a Story very fresh and brisk in the Country That the English are combining in a design to rise and cut all the Throats of the Irish And on the other side many of the English are told and believe as much of the Irish towards them What are these but Devices of wicked men or of the Devil by them to put us upon the imbruing our hands mutually in one anothers Bloud On neither side in the present circumstances of both is the thing either probable or so much as possible As to the English was there ever yet such a thing heard of upon the face of the Earth as a Massacre by Protestants Those men who know our Religion know the Principles of our Religion will not suffer it Nay further it is not possible at present as were easie to shew 'T is well if we are able to defend our selves Is it not a pleasant thing to see in a Parish between three or four hundred people ly by night out of their Houses for fear of two or three Families in which there are not Seven persons able to bear Arms For shame let not people suffer themselves to be thus abused Then as to the other side touching the rumoured danger of a Massacre upon the English by the Irish Is not this at present a plain abominable Device to put us together by the Ears set on foot by them who desire an advantage against us to the end that if by these affrightments they can tempt any weak persons of us to any irregular actions they may more justly seek occasion of Revenge by their own hands or otherwise accuse and misrepresent us I confess this is out of my Province a little but I could not forbear it For Gods sake and our Countreys sake and our own sake let us all joyn together to bring to light the Authors of these Reports but however let us not suffer our selves to be so far ridden by them as to be their Juments or Beasts of burden to carry such forged Wares up and down the Countrey Sixthly as another Preservative of publick Peace I take it to be good Advice that we pass not bad Interpretations on the Acts of the Government a fault that more people are guilty of then I am willing so much as to characterize I pray you remember Charity ever requires us to think the best 1 Cor. xiii 5 6 7. Charity thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity which as appears by the opposites may be interpreted maketh not advantage of falshoods but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things does not readily give men up for desperate and incorrigible endureth all things or grows not impatient upon every matter of suspicion that offers it self Some haply will say this Text treats only touching the Duties of private Charity towards one another Be it so but do I owe all these Offices of Charity to each private man and not to the most considerable body of men which I can pick out in the Kingdoms to Magistrates and Governours To deal more roundly Must I have Charity for every particular man yea even for Enemies and none for my King and his Council To be short then if we love the publick Peace let us neither make ill constructions our selves of publick Actions nor silently admit them when we hear them made by others Let us at least profess our Charity and that we hope better than some interpret or others fear Lastly and to conclude all the advice on this Head for the possessing our own and one anothers minds with Quiet Let t is remember what I have formerly prest God rules over all His hand is in all And let us be content he should govern Herewith let us still any risings in our
Summons or Challenge to the whole world to behold or consider the mighty Acts of Gods particular Providence in behalf of his Church Come and behold the Works of the Lord what Desolatâ—ons he hath made in the Earth ver 8. In the days of David God smote down before his Anointed all the Enemies of Israel round about them Which being done towards or in the days of Solomon he crowned the foregoing Victories and Deliverances with a deep Peace ver 9. He maketh Wars to cease unto the ends of the Earth he breaketh the Bow and knappeth the Spear asunder and burneth the Chariot in the fire But such deep Peace as I conceive not yet in perfect being at the penning of this Psalm which I say by the whole tenor of it manifestly bespeaks it self to have been writ in tottering or turbulent times only to assure the faithful that it was at hand and infallibly future the holy Psalmist sings it as already accomplisht an usual Scheme with the Prophets Mean while to still and aw all sorts he yet again in his wonderful Character of Speech and like the greatest Artist brings in God himself controling the Inhabitants of the Earth in the Text Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted amongst the Heathen I will be exalted in the Earth Words indifferently applicable either to the Turbulent and Enemies of the Church and of Davids Kingdom as if he had said Desist from your fruitless Combinations and malicious Contrivances Know that I am God or to the faithful and firm Adherents of David who inclining to diffidence and fears of the worst might be in impatient hurries and uncertain Counsels And if thus taken the Sense is Be still quiet your selves patiently in Humility Faith and Sobriety await the issue Know that I am God and in my good time I will both glorifie my self and settle you To which as in a full Chorus the Faith of the Church answers The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our Refuge Selah That is most probably as before said a Note for the highest Musick Because I cannot presume any number of our Kings or Churches Enemies here present and besides for that it is an ungrateful thing on this good day to take the words in their worst acceptation I shall chiefly insist on them as directed to the Church and to faithful and loyal Subjects And to them First they prescribe a Duty very seasonable prudent and Christian in apprehensions of uncertain or in uncertain or unsettled affairs namely an holy Quiet of mind Be still Secondly they inforce this Duty and that by three Principles or main points of Religious Doctrine The first of which is the general and sovereign Power of God insinuated in those words Know that I am God I made I rule the World The second his particular Superintendency and directing all affairs to his own Glory in the next words I will be exalted amongst the Heathen I will be exalted on the Earth The third his Constancy and eternal Fidelity to his Church acknowledged and depended upon by them The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is oâ— Refuge I begin with the Duty injoyned an holy Quiet Be still That there is nothinâ— in this world firm or stable that as pooâ— men die from their Cottages and greateâ— persons from their Houses which theâ— have called by their own Names so eveâ— Princes from the Throne alas I neeâ— not insist Only when these last leave thâ— Stage as it is in great Buildings wheâ— Pillars fall there is at least a dreadfuâ— Concussion of the whole Fabrick so in Frame of State when a King dies especially a Great one a Gracious one a Beloved one howevever most happily as well as speedily and most seasonably succeeded I cannot but believe and I hope it will be esteemed no fault to profess plainly that I do believe the Loyallest hearts amongst us all really tremble not that we distrust God or our Prince but we fear the Malice of the Enemy Wherefore being we must acknowledge the publick Amusement not to say Consternation not yet to be quite over it cannot be amiss to press what the Text in such shaking junctures injoyns which I have named an holy Quiet and I dare say it will contribute much to the Ease of all their Hearts who will practice it Now such Quiet will consist 1. In Paâ—ience excluding all Repining all Comâ—laints and Murmuring 2. In Faith â—nd humble Deference to God excluding â—ll Despondency and Pusillanimity 3. In â—obriety Peaceableness and observance of Orâ—er excluding Temerity Faction and â—rivy Combinations upon any pretences â—f publick Jealousies and Dangers Permit I beseech you a word on each very â—riefly and I hope very modestly And first as to the Quiet of Patience which I say excludes all Repining all Murmuring all fruitless accusing of things and persons Our Loss is indeed very great and very fresh it being not yet forty hours since I think I may say most of us had intelligence of it But blessed be the same Hand that takes and together gives Heaviness may endure for a night but Joy cometh in the morning Let us therefore on this occasion not fall into that iniquity of Impatience taxed by the Heathen Moralist Iniquiores esse erga relicta ereptorâ—m desiderio to be unjust estimators of what God has left us through too impatient a sense of what he has taken away Meekly to accept the deserved punishment of our Sins is certainly as moderate a degree of Patience as any in reason can pay Whereas then we have lost a most Gracious King must we not confess our selves to have deserved it by the abuse of that Ease Peace Liberty and Plenty that we enjoyed under him and yet were not contented The consideration hereof must surely restrainus 1. From all repining at Gods hand and charging him with Severity There may be a further End in this Providence than we are aware of Perhaps God does but design to commend and set off his future Mercies by the present Stroke We have seen many a glorious fair Day after a cloudy Morning Seeing then we know not what God will bring forth let us take care that we provoke him not to what it may be he does not yet intend However 't is as little Justice as can be not to complain of him till we have real Reason And 2. The same consideration too should keep us so far within the bounds of Patience as not to repine against or accuse men Be still also in this regard There is so much wickedness of late in the world and possibly some men know so much villany by themselves as makes them suspect very bad things of others And it is too easie a step with many in the world first â—o suspect men and then to charge them â—ith what themselves have suspected of â—hem In the name of God let us be careâ—ul herein and let no Grief transport
of Miseries the Lord struck him and he died His Son Nadab succeeds him indeed or as some think reigned together with him towards the latter end of his days However before he was well warm in his Throne Baasha a person of another Tribe who had no pretence to the Crown but who might quickly have as good a Title to it as either Jeroboam or Nadab had conspired against him and slew him as would seem in the head of his Army and reigned in his stead 1 King xv 27 28. But how long will this new Title stand After Wars again upon Wars all his days his Son Ela succeeds him but within two years Zimri Captain of half his Chariots conspired against him and slew him as he was drinking himself drunk in the House of Arza his Steward Upon this Zimri sets up himself chap. xvi 9. 11. and immediately slew all of Baasha 's House Here was a Recompence for Baasha's Treason But before Zimri had reigned over part of Israel full one week another part of the people would have another King and set up Omri on which Zimri burns himself in his own Palace And now ver 21. Israel is divided not only from Judah as before but within themselves divided into two parts saith the Text For half of the People followed Tibni to make him King and half Omri To be short from the time the Israelites fell off from the Royal Line that God had set over them and betook themselves to Kingchoosing from that Revolt I say to Omri which was somewhat less than five and forty years if rightly computed they had six Kings indeed but not one year of Peace and of their six Kings as far as I can find only two died the death of other men so frequent and so dismal were the Alterations of Government so unhappy the state of things I will pursue the History of this Kingdom no further as to this particular of the uncertainty of Titles and frequent Changes which you see must needs happen and when they happen they rend Nations in pieces and leave nothing stable durable or secure only out of what you have heard of the deplorable state into which this People brought themselves by breaking off the Succession and running into this kind of Elective Kingdom I cannot but note to you Secondly The dreadful Cruelties and Bloudshed which commonly ensue on such Elections to establish the New Prince Thus as soon as Baasha obtained the Throne he smote all the House that is Kinred Allies and most likely all the Adherent of Jeroboam he left not one of them that breathed until he had destroyed them 1 King xv 29. which though it were Baasha's Wickedness and Gods just Judgment executed on Jeroboams Family however by a villanous Agent yet in point of Policy and Security to himself he was in a sort necessitated to it Now so great a Slaughter certainly could not but be a sore publick Wound I might shew many instances of the like practice in in others but it is not pleasing to rake in Bloud Lastly Whereas it is ordinarily pretended by our modern State-menders that reducing Kingdoms as near as may be to an Elective form is the best method to secure a Succession of good and virtuous Princes the contrary hereto appears by this instance The People of Israel after this new modelling their Kingdom upon rejecting the true Heir descendent and electing out of themselves a King had through the Judgment of God withdrawing his Grace in punishment of their Rebellion and Revolt from this time till the utter Dissolution of their Kingdome nineteen Kings successively and not one good amongst them all And no wonder saith a sober Author For First It was a Kingdome whose Foundation was laid in 1. Rebellion 2. Schism Secondly It was maintained by a Politick Idolatry in the continuance of Jeroboams Golden Calves Thirdly Polluted with the Bloud of many of their Kings few of them going to their Grave Sicca morte by a Bloudless death And therefore having continued two hundred forty one or as others calculate two hundred fifty eight years in the ninth year of Hosea 's Reign which was the seventh of Hezekiah King of Judah the King and People of Israel were carried away Captives by Shalmanezer King of Assyria and never returned again for God removed Israel out of his sight 'T is so said twice 2 King xvii 18 23. And 't is observable no one knows to this day what 's become of these ten Tribes But even during the whole state or most settled time of their Kingdome they had no face of true Religion nor indeed any Religion constant amongst them but a Gallimafry of all the Gods and Idolatries of the Nations according to the Honour or Interest of their Kings On the other side the Kingdome of Judah which continued under the Rightful Succession and was Hereditary stood near one hundred and forty years longer than that of Israel and they had amongst their Kings many great Saints as Asa Jehosophat Hezekiah Josiah and diverse others And though the Worship of God were often foully corrupted in the Reign of some of their Kings yet as that Corruption still came in from the Kings of Israel or from Affinity or League with them so by the Succession of good Kings it was restored again and both the Church and Face of Religion kept up amongst them till it pleased God for their treading in the steps of the People of Israel to send his Church into Captivity there to be cured of Idolatry Which Cure when wrought though there still remained a general Cachexy or disorder of Manners yet it pleased God to bring back for a while their Captivity and to give them a new footing in their own Land till out of that Royal Stem was born our Lord Jesus the promised Seed of Abraham the Son of David according to the Flesh but declared by Power and Resurrection from the dead the Son of God the Lord of Lords and King of Kings blessed for evermore of whose Kingdom there shall be no end To sum up all If then there be any men to whom perpetual unsettledness and dangers to themselves and theirs to whom continued ages of War to whom ever and anon recurring Murder of Kings Massacres of Families together with all Violence and Tyranny over the people and even Arbitrary Religion as well as Government Vsurpation on God and Man be pleasing such men may plead these Arguments to enamour the world with the model of Elective Kingdoms But on the contrary If Publick Wealth Ease and Quiet I may add if continued Liberties settled Religion and general Stability as far as the state of sublunary affairs does admit be more amiable we have reason to stick to a true Legitimate Succession For it was the Observation of the wisest of Kings Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and we see how far it proved so in the Kingdom of Judah We have hitherto as I think