will go right or stand long among us It is a great Trust which is this day to be committed to you your Advantages hereupon to do much for the Glory of God among his People by going before them and leading them in the way of the Lord are very Eminent And God hath answerable Expectations concerning you you may be for a Name and a Praise unto him and we may be so too by God's blessing on your Conduct This God expects and this is the Hope and Prayer of such as fear the Lord among us You have our hearty Wishes that God would be with you as he hath been with those that are gone before you That you may be as the Mountains that bring Peace and as the Hills that produce Righteousness to his People That your Wisdom Justice Courage Piety may be the safeguard of our Land and the Stability of our Times These are the things which duely improved will make you Rich Blessings Be intreated therefore to shine in the Improvement of them The Lord hath said Ye are Gods Psal 82.6 Let these Virtues appear as inseperable Properties of your Deity If you lack these things you cannot stand and we must fall I might remember you of many particulars by way of Motive As 1. You have the Care and Charge of a People whom God hath by special Favour taken to be his own Peculiar And such a Tâ—ust as this ought to be strenuously faithfully discharged The Lord our God hath by signal Protections and a stretched out Arm made these once dark corners of the earth a place of comfortable Entertainment to a Remnant of his faithful Servants and their Seed Here he hath intrusted us with the choise Mercies of his Word Ordinances we have had them enjoyed them in safety from all the Endeavours of such as with an envious eye and vexed Soul have beheld what God hath been doing for us and though we have sadly proved our selves ungrateful backsliding Children untrue to the Interest of the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ among us yet Oh! how are Covenant Mercies prolonged to us and how great are the Covenant Engagements and Obligations that we are continued under to this Day And what is the Lords end in all this but that we should be holiness unto him What doth God design but that we should shew forth his Praises who hath thus crowned us What doth the Lord look for from us but sach fruit as this And the Honour God puts upon you whom he makes the Rulers of his People the Authority which he doth vest you with is with Subserviency to this end God hath designed the Civil Government of his People to concenter with Ecclesiastical Administrations and though by different Mediums they are both levelled at the same end the maintaining of Piety and promoting of a Covenant walk with him That which is the Lords Aim in this should be yours also all your Conducts should center here This is the work that belongs to you in your Publick Capacities and it calls for your Wisdom and Justice and Zeal and Holiness if you would be found thus ruling with God and faithful with his Saints Hosea 11.12 2. Again Do net those palpable Declensions from the way of the Lord and Covenant Violations which we are manisestly guilty of loudly proclaim it necessary for you to bestir your selves with a holy Prudence and Zeal for the Cause of God among us Oh! how justly may the Lord complain of us that we are become the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine unto him Where is that Zeal for God and his ways that high esteem of Gospel Priviledges that faithful improvement of Sacred Ordinances that Care Concermnent for the Advancing of the Kingdom of Christ which things were once our praise Are not these great Interests miserably disregarded And Oh! what Irreligion Lukewarmness Prophanes and Immoralities have usurped their Room And doth not the Lord expect that the Leaders of his People should be their Reformers You have great Examples the Royal Presidents of Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah famous in this matter accepted and blessed of the Lord. let this then be your great Care to recover us a sinful sinning People from all our Apostasies And Oh! how much may you do by your Wisdom Piety Zeal and Justice Precept and Example Authority and Awe to awaken us and recover us again to the good wayes os God The Good Lord strergthen you yet more and more in all your endeavours for this and think upon you according to all that you have done and shall still be doing for his People 3. Further. Hath not the Lord himself been coming near to Judgment and pleading with and against his People It is obvious that God hath a Controversy with us and He is wrath with his Inheritance The tender mercy of God indeed doth spare us to this day many good and pleasant things yet in divers respects God hath been and is humbling us and bringing us low Tho' we may with thankful Admiration at the Divine Goodness say as the Psalmist Psal 78.38 concerning the Lords Dispensations towards 〈◊〉 Many a time turned He his anger away and did not stirâ— up all his wrath yet if we coâ—sider the Bloodshed and ruinous Devastations in some Places of this Land together with the languishing Sâ—ate oâ— the whole Country at this Day we may also take up the Psalmists complaint Psal 80.5 And say Thou feedest us with the Bread of Tears and givest us Tears to drink without measure I shall no need to mention those various Rebukes of Providence as Blastings and Mildews Droughts Unseasonable Frosts of late Sickness the Sword which you have so often in your Orders for Publick Humiliation piously directed us to take notice of as Tokens of the Lords Anger surely by these Providences God hath been loudly testifying against our Transgressions And we may read in them that of the Prophet Jer. 5.25 Your Sins have withholden good things from you We have a case fit and proper for us under our present Circumstances to propound and consider stated and resolved to our hand in Deut 29.23 24. Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land what meaneth the Heat of this great Anger Then men shall say because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers And if this be a Day wherein the Lord is coming out against us in Judgment Oâ— How should you that are the Lords Substitutes bear witness in your places against the Transgressions which provoke him If you are thus a Terrour to Evil Doers it may be God will do no more terrible things in Judgment against us If you do wisely and courageously Execute Judgment who knows but it may divert the Lords Phinehas did so and the Plague was stayed Psal 106 30. 4 You do ordinarily I suppose I may say constantly bring your selves under the Sacred Bâ—nd of a Solemn Oath with impartiality fidelity to discharge the Trust committed
in â—â—ain All others are more for shew than any â—â—od Service Be advised therefore in your â—hoice to avoid them Do you see any that â—ill be daunted with great words or sear the faâ—s of men that will tremble at the Frowns of 〈◊〉 me that can do them a diskindness or at the â—breats of one that can do them a Favour or â—â—at dare not with Phinehas shew themselves in â—e Front to make head against prevailing imâ—rious Wickedness Never expect much of such men A Sword will never do any Feats so long as it is in a Cowards hand And for them that hope for Desence and Protection by it to put it into such hand as these is to say no worse of it the greatest indiscretion 4. Direction Let the Fear of the Lord be deemed a principal Qualification of those that are to be entrusted with the Government Able men are men fâ—aâ—ing God Exod. 18.21 Those that are Ruled themselves by the fear of God will Rule others in his â—ear and that is the only Government which hath the promise of a Blessing You have been often assured and especially by those Servants of the Lord that have delivered his message to you upon the like Occasion with this of the present day that the maintaining of the Truths of Gods Word in Honour and Purity the promoting of Piety the Punishing Sâ—pprâ—ssing of all Wickedness are the grand Interest of a People professing the Name of the Lord and of your selves in Particular who have been so signally owned of God in the work of the Gospel Let me yet once more renew this Message to you in the words of the Prophet 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while you be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you Be assired that if this work dies we shall dye with it and that there is great danger of its dying if thâ—se that Rule us under God have not his Fear planted in their hearts but are wholly void of any thing within that may oblige them to be true to him Irreligious men will be no better Rulers He that is an Enemy to his own Soul and so is every one that doth not fear God He that hath no more Religion than what will serve to deceive others withal and is as all such are false to the Profession that he makes of Religion will be no better to his Countrey whenever he thinks he may be so to his Advantage Such as don't fear God will easily be vassalized to the Wills of any that are greater than themselves and can do them an Injury these would be very corrupt Judge in that case which the Apostles dared to refer to the Consciences of their own Judges Acts 4.14 viz. Whether it be better to obey God or men And it may be said to such as Tertullian of old objected to some among the Romans Majore formidine Caesarem observatis quam ipsum de Olympo Jovem But such as fear God will be afraid for that very reason of Injuring men They will as they are Custodes Tabularum not only command them to be kept and provide that due Testimony may be born against those that do not but also they will commend the Observation of them by a Pattern worthy of those whose eminency renders their Example more observable and more offectual In a word This fear will influence them to all Fidelity Diligence and Honesty Impartiality Pains and Equity They will remember that the Judgment is the Lords and if any thing be wrong done by any of his Vicegerents here below the meanest of his Subjects over whom they rule have a fair Plea and Prohibition lying against it in the Court of Heaven where it shall be called over again and Justice done them Such Rulers as these will be Nursing Fathers indeed and in Conscience towards God seek the good of their People advance the common Interest be zealous Promoters of Piety and all ungodliness they will reprove in the Gate These are the Strong Rods whereas from all others there will go out a Fire devouring all the fruit and destroying all the comforts of a People 5. I might add farther Put Honour upon such as will stand firm for the Common Interest and make the Weal of the Publick their chief Care Business In this case especially they that are given to Change are not to be medâ—ed with Prov. 24.21 In all Revolutions that are not absolutely necessary for the Preservation of Justice and Equity it is hazardable whether the Publick will not come by the loss and when it doth it doth not always recover it again that too for the most part a long time first and for this reason such as are so addicted are to be eschewed Yet beware of thinking that all that have been aspersed as Enemies to the Common Weal do deserve that Character which it may be is but the effect of some Secret Grudge of malignant men against them We shall be very unwise to deprive our selves of the benefit of those that can do God and their Country Service for the Calumnies Reproaches that they are laden withal by their Ignorant and Unthankful Neighbours 6. Again Respect such as will adorn their Authority with an Example worthy of the Dignity that they sustain Remember that great Examples if they be good will confirm the weak and it they be bad will enervate and weaken the Strongest Laws When it may be said to them that Rule as once Christ said in that case mentioned Joh. 8.7 He that is without sin among you let him cast the first Stone There will either be no Punishment of Wickedness or no Good will come of it They are very unfit to punish others who are themselves Transgressors But I omit what Particulars might be added as being comprised in the General Directions given and proceed to the last USE III. Of Exhortation In two Branches 1. To such as are or may this day be Elected and Established the Civil Rulers of this People You see Honoured and much Esteemed wherein you may be Rich Blessings As it is our duty incessantly to pray God that you may be so so also we submissively pâ—ay you that you would be so Be you therefore intreated whosoever you are upon whom the over ruling Hand of the Lord shall order the Lot to fall this day to approve your selves Strong Rods. Esteem this to be your greatest Glory the contrary to this will be both your our Ruin Let the Qualifications which have at this time been described to you be exemplified in all your managements that our own Experience may teach us the happiness of a People who are in such a case who have Strong Rods for a Scepter to rule them Your Ability is under God our strength your Fidelity our Security If these Foundations are destroyed what shall the Righteous do Psal 11.3 If these Foundations are out of course nothing
to you and so Rule this People according to the Laws of God and the King than which nothing can be a stricter tie to those that know and believe that the same God whom they have thus called upon to be a witness of the sincerity and integrity of their hearts in what they are undertaking will if they be either careless or false not suffer them to escape his Righteous Judgment and most severe Reflections 5 Shall I add this one consideration further both to stir you up to and strengthen you in your publick work It is this You have the Royal Favour of a most Gracious Soveraign whom the Divine Providence hath in a wonderful manner raised up and hitherto preserved to be the Bulwark of Religion and Property to the English Israel We are a little Branch of that Vine our Civil Life and Liberty is bound up in theirs we have felt the warmth of those benign Influences which have refreshed the wearied Land of our Fore fathers Sepulchres and as the Prophet Ezekiel speaks chap. 34.27 God hath broken the Bands of the Yoke that were upon us and delivered us out of the Hands of those that would have served themselves of us God who hath the Hearts of Princes in his Hand hath whatever our Enemies have endeavoured to the contrary given you Favour in the sight of the King You have in this respect great opportunity and advantage to be consulting and promoting the things which will be for the Glâ—ry of God the Interest of his Kingdom and the Weal of his People According as it is improved we may hope God will prolong it He will not take it well at our hands if it be neglected Give me leave then to say to you that are or may this Day be Rulers over us as once it was said to Ezâ—a chap. 10.4 This matter belongeth unto you It is your part principally to take care for the Improvement of such an Opportunity and ours to be with you in it When the Lord by whom Princes â—â—le maketh them Nursing Fathers to his People it opâ—â—eth a wide door of Liberty and Power to all that derive Authority from them to be in their respective places Rods of Strength for desending and encouraging the Good for suppresling and punishing the Wicked for promoting Piety and Rightcousness and if there be an heart wanting to improve such an advantage we may probably repent it when we can do nothing else Suffer then the Exhortation I beseech you in the words of the Lord which you have in Hag. 2.4 Be strong O Zerubbabel and work Do the work of your publick Capacities with Prudence Honour and Fidelity I am with you saith the lord of Hosts Thus if you approve your selves it will be Honour to God your Comfort our Weal and the rejoycing of all that love God his People There are a sew thingâ— which I would crave your Patience Honoured and much Respected that I may briefly recommend unto you as needful to be much in your Eyes and upon your Hearts if you would thus acquit your selves be Strong Rods to us at such a Day as this 1. Let the Interest of Religion and Holiness be your principal care Labour the reviving and promoting of it with all your strength This is both our Decus Tutamen we may truly say of this great Article that it is Articulus stantis et cadentis Nov Angliae It is this that engageth the Lord to deal gâ—aciously with his people and to be their Saviour in Isa 63.7 When the Church had reckoned up the Loving kindnesses of God many ways expressed we have in the following verse the consideration intimated upon which the Lord proceeded in deing those great things for his people verse 8. For he said surely they are my People Children that will not lie so â—e was their Saviour q. d. They will not be salse to my Covenant they will walk in my ways and keep my Commandments they will remember their Engagements and fulfil them and upon their so doing he had and would shew them his Salvation In this way they might hope for it but if they should prove lying unholy backsliding Children they would but deceive themselves to expect it Upon this ground hath the Lord been proceeding with our Fathers in time past and upon the same will he deal with us at this Day If we consider the things that were at the beginning when God first laid the Foundations of Gospel work in these Ends of the Earth if we remember the Wonders of old which we have heard and our Fathers have told us we may say of those Providences where by God through many Difficulties brought a Remnant of his faithful People into these remote corners of the World planted and preserved them here as David doth Psal 44.7 That the Lord did it By his Right-hand c. because he had a favour for them By great Deliverances and Salvations did the Lord manifest his Presence among them and Loving-kindness to them and they were all u pon this account Psal 22.4 Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou dâ—lst deliver them They had Holiness to the Lord Engraven upon their hearts designs and ways and God was with them If we are true to this Interest and Cause of God and walk in the Covenant of the Lord God of our Fathers it shall be well with us Exod. 20.6 But if there be a declining backsliding apostatizing Spirit in us if we give the Lord cause to take up that Complaint concerning us in Mal. 3.7 Even from the dayes of your Fathers ye are gone away from mine Ordinances and have not kept them Oh! what Presumption what Madness will it be for us to hope that as he was theirs so he will be our Saviour Alas How many are there that have forgotten forsaken this great Interest of the Lord among us Beyou intreated therefore who shall have the rule of this People to consider it and engage your hearts to the advancing of it Remember that there is a Solemn Covenant between God this his People God hath taken them to be his they have owned themselves to be the Lords upon this Foundation stand all our Mercies Priviledges Enjoyments whatsoever can contribute any thing to our present or suture Felicity and therefore the recovering of us from all our Apostasies and the maintaining promoting of serious Godliness among us should will be the chief Scope of such Rulers as make Conscience to Serve either God or his People 2. Express a high Veneration for and Regard unto Gods holy Ordinances Let them have all that Security from the Blasphemous Reproaches and Abuses of Ungodly men that either your Laws or your Examples can afford them If they that go before a People go out of this way sad Experience proves it but too natural a practice for them to follow their Leaders So Jeroboam the son of Nebat made Israel to Sin 1 King 16 26.
He led the Dance and he had the far greatest part of a Nation to follow him If you dont make much of these things others will make light of them If you violate in never so small a Degree the Honour of Sacred things others will be kept within no Bounds it will be encouragement enough to them if they have any hope to be tolerated in their prophaness but it will be much more if they have such as should punish it for a President 3. Labour to settle prudent Methods for the transmitting of the publick Gospel Worship unto the Rising Generation upon as firm and lasting Foundations as may be There is nothing in the World that we ought to be more concerned to leave to Posterity If any thing in order to this may be done by the Legislative Power among us which I submit to your most serious consideration we may be sure it will be a good Improvement of it We shall never lose by what we lay out for that Interest of Christ's Kingdom but the starving of this Interest hath 〈…〉 a Curse upon a People Mal. 3.9 10 11 12. And because many of the Passages in this Text do so directly point at many of the Lords humbling Dispensations towards us I cannot but mention it at large Ye are Cursed with a Curse for you have rebbed me even this whole Nation Being ye all the tiâ—hes into the store-house that there may be meat in mine house prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field saith the Lord of bests And all Nationâ— shall call you blessed for ye shall be a 〈…〉 saith the Lord of hosts Whatever 〈…〉 in it it was one of Jereboams Sins 1 King 13.33.34 That he took of the lowest of the People and made them Priests And certainly it will be found a Sin too when a course is taken to make those 〈◊〉 are separated to the Service of God the 〈◊〉 among a People To prevent which tho' some 〈◊〉 may have been worthily done yet it is well worthy our Consideration whether the Experience we have had of the unsuccesfulness of those measures that have been already taken doth not call for something farther to be done And the sad pass things of this nature are already come to in some places doth awaken to as quick a dispatch as may be How long the price the Liberty Authority for this which you now have will be in your hands the Lord only knoweth And besides when things are once going down hill the further they go the harder it is to stop them We may rationally look that if what is amiss in a matter of so great Concernment as this both to our selves and ours be not rectified speedily it will grow worse and worse and be beyond all Remedy at last 4. Be a swift witness against the Crying Sins and fearful Abominations that Defile the Land When the Providence of God hath brought such wickedness to Light let it not be smoothered but brought out to condign Punishment You are God's Vicegerents and should in this Imitate him who saith Mal. 3.5 I will be a swâ—â—t wuness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers c. The Lord hath set you up to be a Terrour to Evil Doers consider then upon what account God hath a Controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land Let not your Eye pity nor your Hand spaâ—e those that dare declare their Sin as Sodom when the Land is mourning because of the Iniquities that abound in it There is to mention a few things Idlenâ—â—s Pride Fulshood Contention Backbiting and Slander 〈◊〉 of Gods Sacred Name and Holy Day Uncleanness Unrighteousness either by Fraud or Force in our common dealings one with another Drunkenness and the propagating of that Sin for filthy Lucres sake among the Heathen who are therefore justly the Rod of Gods Anger against us at this Day Are not these some of our crying Sins They are Sins which God hath often warned us of long humbled us for yea and for these is not the Hand of the Lord stretched out against us still For the Lords sake therefore for your own sakes and for ours Do you that have the Sword of Justice in your Hands strike at and spare not these Transgressions Let the wholesome Laws already provided against them be seaâ—esly Executed if need be let shicter be made let every thing be done that can be done to root out this Wickedness 5. In matters of Judgment or respecting the Administration of Justice be not easy in crediting Reports especially when they are made out of Place Order and Season The simple saith Solomon believeth every word but the Prudent man looketh well to his going Prov. 14.15 The Judgment may easily be forestalled Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own Cause seemeth just It is no hard matter to contrive a fair Tale and to make that seem just which is very unrighteous but it behooves therefore such as sit in Judgment e're they credit it to search it out It is the Honour of a King to search out a matter Prov. 25.2 And Prudence to sift out and discover the Truth if there be but a Conscience to judge accordingly will be found the Ornament and Glory of those that are upon the Seat of Justice 6. Be impartially just to all that have occasion to seek for Justice at your Hands When you have heard the Cause judge according to the merit of it Remember what the Psalmist saith Psal 75.2 When I shall receive the Congregation I will judge uprightly None have ordinarily more or greater Temptations to Injustice than those that have the dispensing of Justice in their hands avoid them carefully These snares are some of them more obvious and can take none but such as are willing to be caught some are more out of view and therefore most to be feared and watch'd against by those that have a Principle of Justice in them There 's a sort of Bribery more gross by gifts there 's another sort more private subtil when men by secret arts and flatteries do wheedle and insinuate themselves into the Affections which whensoever it takes is as great a dishonour to the Dignity of Magistracy and tends as much to the corruption of Judgment and perverting of Justice and Right as any By this means a man may for less than a piece of Bread buy Injustice enough to starve and ruin his honest Neighbour Again there are some who would perhaps baulk at the grosser Temptations of Flattery or Bribery who may be unawares snared by others and do very unjustly when they are far from suspecting it They may be
Valley of Vision that of the Sword is one And tho' considering it as the Rod of Divine Anâ—er it behooveth us to be deeply humbled under 〈◊〉 yet considering it as in the Hand of an unjust â—nemy in whose Heart it is only to destroy as is â—id of the Assyrian Enemy Isa 10.7 And so it 〈◊〉 a Duty both natural and religious to arm aâ—ainst it It is good Policy even in a Time of â—eace to follow Davids steps who commanded â—at the Children of Judah should be taught the â—se of the Bow 2 Sam. 1.18 And certainly to â—e deficient in this point when the noise of War is in our streets will be very unpardonable To be unprovided and secure too at such a time is a notable Judgment God forbid we should trust to our Bow to our Skill or to any arm of Flesh whatsoever we have as little pretences for it as any People under the Sun yet it behooves us to be up and providing for our selves and wherein we may to be up and doing for the succour of others We have many more instances than that of Laish to warn us of the Fate of those that dwell carelesly and at quiet in a time of danger Yet it is well worthy our noting what is said in that case as giving us one great reason of that Security Judg. 18 7. There was no Magistrate in the Land that might put them to shame in any thing You know also who were cursed for their Sluggishness and Backwardness to jeapord themselves in the High Places of the Field to help the People of the Lord against the Mighty Judg. 5.23 You know the Distresses of the Eastern Parts of the Country You frequently hear of the barbarous Cruelties of those Heathenish Miscreants that shed the blood of the Lords People I need not mind you of the Danger of our Sea Coasts the God of all Wisdom direct you that are our Leaders and the Captains of his Inheritance that you may discern the Times and know what may be requisite for our own safety and how far it may be Duty for us to expose and put our selves for ward in the Defence of the Common Interest oâ— God's People in this Wilderness That this Ruiâ— may not be advanced by any Neglect of ours or be under your Hand 13. Study Unity in your Councils Proceedings and in all your Managements You know the familar similitude whereby the Strength and Power of Concord is usually Illustrated A Bundle of Rods they can't be broken while they are taken together but are easily snap'd asunder when they are severed Vis unita fortior is an old Mâ—xim and true Divide Impera was hellish Policy from the Beginning and it is that which the World is throughly versed in now a days Let your Agreement defeat the hopes of all that may thus attempt to practise upon you A Harmony in your Councils and Determinations is the best way to be answered with another in our Obedience 14 Be often recommending your selves in all the Affairs especially proper to your Places unto the Lord by earnest Prayer for his Assistance and Blessing He is a God of Wisdom Justice Power and Holiness would you be Strong Rods for the Defence and Rule of his People by Faith lay hold on his Strength and he will make you so You have been used thus to wait upon the Lord go on still Beg the Lords Direction Influence Blessing Do it heartily and he who hath made you ours will be your Guide He will be with you and make you the Repairers of our Breaches the Restorers of our Paths Isa 58.12 exceeding great Blessings â—o his Distressed People 2. The second Branch of the Exhortation concerns is all who are the Body of this People If it be such a Priviledge to have Strong Rods for Scepters to rule us and if the want of such cannot but be of fatal Consequence then How much doth it concern us to endeavour wherein we may the Procurement and Preservation of such a Publick Blessing We consult our own Good and which ought to be as dear to us the good of our Posterity when we do so Be you then exhorted for your own sakes and for their sakes to mind this thing That Civil Liberty of Election which you are this day assembled to exercise doth advantage many of you to be in this Respect eminently Serviceable to the Publick Weal let it then beâ— wisely improved Remember the Directions that have been given you and act in the fear of God that by the Blessing of the most High upon your prudent endeavours we may have no such cause as the Prophet in our Text of Lamentation And as you especially have a great Advantage to procure it so we have all of us a great Interest in such a general Blessing and are joyntly concerned to do all we can to advance this Common Felicity There are many things which for this end God expects of us all our neglect of which whatever prudent methods the most Sufficient and Able men may take to prevent it will certainly involve us in a most inevitable Ruine There may be Maladies in the Body which if they be not speedily healed will ruin the head and all Whatever the advantages are which Rulers have to promote the Peoples good whatever Pains they take to improve them yet Rulers themselves are but Second Caules and will fail in their endeavours and of their Aims as God shall with-hold his Blessing and that God oftentimes doth as a just Punishment of the Peoples Sins When any Detriment befals the State it is common for the Ministers of it to bear the Blame when as they many times least deserve it For if there be an Ungrateful Murmuring Proud Spirit a Mutinous Envious and Rebellious Spirit an Irreligious Spirit Prevailing among a People it is not all the Counsels of the Wisest nor Understanding of the Prudent nor Conduct of the most Sufficient men that can keep off Ruin from them Such a People may be miserable do their Rulers what they can It was not King Jesiahs Piety or Prudence however at the present it laid some kind of Restraint upon them that could divert the approaching lamentable Fate of that Stubborn Sinful People he had the rule of If there be never so skilful a Hand at Him the Ship that will not feel her Helm may stave upon the Rocks or Strand upon the Shore at last There is much of the Success of Government depending upon the suitable becoming behaviour of the People under it And this is it which we are all Exhorted to at this time Strong Rods are Rich Blessings God hath a Favour for that People on whom he bestows them But then we must remember the Tenure by which a People so Priviledged do hold them It is the same with that on which they have received their Authority from God Viz Quamdiu bene se gesserint When a People fail of their Duty and carry it unworthily
Objection against such as are of their own Choice or to hope that it will excuse and be a Salve for their Disobedience 5. Remember how expresly God hath required us that we should yield them the Honour of Maintainance as well as that of Respect Obedience And that there might be the less room for Dispute in a point which an avaritious and niggardly World would be so ready to callin question We have not only the Command it self but the Reaâ— of it annexed Rem 13.6 7. For this cause pay you Tributâ— also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually oâ— this very thing Render therefore to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Yea we have this Duty enforced upon us by the express Precept oâ— Christ himself Mat 22.21 Render therefore unto Caesaâ— the things which are Caesars And our blessed Saviour chose rather to work a Miracle whatever might have been pleaded for his own exemption than omit the Duty oâ— offend by not doing it as you may see Mat 17 26 27. And if it were not for those natural Seeds of Rebellion which every man is the worse for it would be a wonder that so plain a Precept and Duty should be so little regarded And certainly it will be as great a wondeâ— if that Government that wants this Honourable Suppoâ— doth not finally fink under its own Burthen with a that depends on it 6. Beware of Murmuring and Faction God is highly â—ispleased with it and can easily make us know it We â—e ever to remember that the condition of persons as â—ell as State of Affairs here below won't admit of Perâ—ction and should consider that the Ablest Rulers on â—arth are men of many Infirmities and subject to misâ—oing as well as others If they miss it in some things â—et if in the main they are right we have reason no bless â—od for it and not to be dissatisfied If we be the more ouâ— sin and whoever gets by it we are like to be â—â—rsâ— They that are pleased with nothing that is preâ—nt but are given to Change when they have what they â—esiâ—â—d do seldom sit easy under it It was sucâ— a perâ—erse humour among the People of Israel that occasionâ—d a Revolution in the Dayes of Samuel which we read â— 1 Sam 8 But when it was effected they that proâ—ably did as much desire it as any soon thought they â—ad little cause to boast of it 1 Sam 10.27 But the â—hildren of Belial said How shall this man save us â—ey despised him 7. Address the Throne of Grace in their Behalf pray â—rnestly that God in mercy both to them and us would â—ant them a Spirit of Wisdom and Judgment Zeal and â—â—liness and make them men after his own heart that they â—ay rule us in the fear of God 1 Tim. 2 1 2. St. Paul Exâ—orts to this Duty This indeed is to consult our greaâ—st Good We may then hope to lead quiet peaceable â—ves as he speaks v 2 Thus if we do God will own 〈◊〉 for as in v. 3. This is good and acceptable in the â—ght of our God and Saviour 8 Finally Let us put away all Iniquity far from us â—ave in the Fear of God It is an awful Judgment not to â—ave Strong Rods for Scepters to Rule us Our Sins merit The Lord sometimes threatens thus to punish the Iâ—â—quity of his people When Israel had degenerated their Religion was become Formality their Devotioâ— Hypocrisy the Lord saith Isa 29 14. The wisdom their wise mâ—n shall perish Thus Samuel threatens thâ— people 1 Sam 12 25. But if ye shall still do wicked ye shaâ—l be consumed both ye and your King When the Loâ—â— forsakes those that have the Rule of his people no woâ—der if we have cause to complain as in Isa 3.12 Thâ— which lead thee cause thee to err but the Rise of this 〈◊〉 chief is oftentimes in the wickedness of the people when God left David to sin in numbring the People Sam 2 4 1. It is said it was because Gods Anger was â—â—â—led against 〈◊〉 and you know what it is that kindle it Thâ—nk often then of Samue's advice to the people Israel â—â—ow they might obtain the Favour of God upâ—â— their Râ—ulers and upon themselves 1 Sam 12.24 Oâ—ly Fear t he Lord and Serve him in truth with all your heaâ— If there â—e such a heart in us if we will fear the Loâ— and walk humbly with him If we will deny Ungodâ—ness and Serve the Lord in Truth and with 〈◊〉 oâ— hearts we may then hope that our Rods shall be Stroâ— and that 〈◊〉 whom God shall this Day Set over 〈◊〉 shall be greatly blessed of the Lord and be rich 〈◊〉 sings unto us To Conclude Let us now look up to God each of us in 〈◊〉 Respective Places to give us Understanding in these things Wâ— is wanting what is weak among us let us all as we are conâ—ned consider Let us beg â—f God to supply us with what is lackâ— let uâ— be watchful strengthen the things that remain if don 't 〈◊〉 so the Prophet tells us what we may conclude 〈◊〉 Not only that it is now but will still be more more for aâ— mentation And to add no more if thâ—â— course be not takeâ— us I dare say that whatever Blessings of this kind whereof have heard at this time are yet remaining among us They 〈◊〉 sooâ— be removed into Corners and the Places that know tâ— now shall know them no more FINIS