away the dross of their iniqâ—â—â—y 〈◊〉 are prepared and fitted for it I will purely purge away thy dross and take away thy tin and then I will restore thy Judges as at the first I shall not further insist upon this but â—hut up all with a few words of Application of these things 1. Oh! bless then the Lord for the hopes of such a 〈◊〉 restored to us this day as was that of Moses I Ioshâ—◠〈◊〉 and David Authority vested and re-estated in â—he hands of its rightful Subject Usurpation which for these twelve yearâ— past without dispute hath invaded the Throne broken and â—hiver'd into pieces in a moment and the 〈◊〉 head of him lâ—â—â—â—d up by God whose known â—eportment under his deâ—pest â—â—yals and whose 〈…〉 report and faâ—◠〈◊〉 him to us as another Titus dâ—â—icia humani generiâ— another Câ—sar of whom Cicero said Oblivisâ—i nihil solet nisi injurâ— and as another 〈◊〉 whose zeal for the truth and strenuous interposings of his Authority for the peace and settlement of the discompoâ—â—d Church maâ—e 〈◊〉 the Mirâ—our of Monarchâ— the Patâ—â—n 〈…〉 the glory of Christian Princes to this day Such â—n one report and relation tells us he is Religion teacheth us to believe and pray that he may be to this people however 〈…〉 those pregnant presages of future good to all that are deâ—â—â—â—â—le enough from divers things 〈◊〉 not now enumerate yet we have the unquestionable â—oundation of his rightful title to these Dominions that may raise up our triumphings to the greatest pitch and wind up our hearts iâ— thanksgivings to the highest elevation Bless thou the Lord Oh! my soul and all that is within â—hee blâ—â—â— his holy Name I â—â— not unsensible how many 〈…〉 others whose lot it was in 〈…〉 of theâ—â— distrâ—ctions to judge it their duty to 〈…〉 Parliament as if this desired blessed day were the 〈…〉 hearts and 〈…〉 with their principles 〈…〉 The Lord comes with â—en thousand of â—is 〈…〉 judgment upon them that are ungodly But if the constant profession of their judgment in point of allegiance even in the saddest times their Sufferings and Sequestrations for non-compliance with those Anti-monarchical Engagements which overspread so great a part of the Nation pretending to greater loyalty if their volleys of prayers and flouds of tears for the settlement of the Kingdoms upon their own Basis if their unwearied activity till the Nation were as now it is purged from the guilt and freed from the yoke of Usurpation nay if the bloud of divers of them spilt in the justification of that part of their Covenant which relates to the interest of his sacred Majesty I say If all these may evidence the reality of their joy at this deliverance I know not what can be defective and a more assured testimony of their cordial joy then all those practices of debauchery in which too many have the hard fate to be involved But I forbear to harp any more upon that string the Lord in his mercy bury those distinctions and animosities among the people which in their continuation have too ominous an aspect upon the settlement and tranquillity of the Kingdom But Christians do you bless the Lord in and for the mercy of this day Bless him that God hath restored us such a Magistracy whose endowments and qualifications for the regal Office and Imployment carry such a bright and glorious beam of hope to all such a Prince as by his publick Declaration hath held forth such unalterable resolutions of preserving and supporting the Protestant cause of burying the exorbirancies of our times in everlasting oblivion and of satisfactory care to the Consciences of good men that they be not tyrannized over by unscriptural impositions and however God shall issue the results of this mutation yet bless the Lord that Authority is returned to its natural centre the scandals upon Covenanters wiped off and the most necessary part of righteousness done to the breath of our nostrils who is worth ten thousand of us in that restauration of him which the Saints pray'd for the World expected the very Angels themselves approve and the God of Gods with many pierâ—ing câ—ies and calls required from us I hope there is no sufficient reason to suspect any diminution to come hereby to the interest of the Protestant cause and the saving truths of the Gospel we are not without much ground to hope that the intended and Covenâ—nted Reformation of the Church shall hereby attain some â—â—â—ther advance to its full accomplishment and that so it may we shall with all subjection supplicate at his royal feet If in other things of temporal importance this mutation shall bring any impairing or loss yet I shall say as Mephibosheth when abused by Ziba No matter forasmuch as my Lord the King is returned home in peace to his own house 2. Be exhorted to pray for your Superior Powers that forasmuch as their glory lies in the grace and goodness of their people God would bless them with being effectually instrumental that this Nation may become a City of righteousness a faithful people This is the flower of their Crown and you may be useful to the adorning of the Imperial Diadem with it not only by your practice that it may be said and observed by all that since his royal Majesty sat upon his Throne iniquity and sin wither'd and perished blush'd and was ashamed in all his people and that the prophaness of your spirits could not breath and live in the purer air of his pious princely Government but also by your prayers that God would under the impressions of his Soveraignty keep his Saints from being persecuted his Sabbaths from being prophaned his Ministers from being despised or impoverished men now pretending to be Ministers but such whose right eye is utterly darkned of desperate life and despicable knowledge from being advanced his Worship from being corrupted his Ordinances from being defiled his Sacraments from being disorderly administred his Name from being blasphemed the Antichristian state and apostacy from being encouraged profession from being scorned and the liberty of communion with God and his people from being abridged or invaded and in stead thereof that God would lay up his precious truths Ordinances and People in the most intimate shades of the love and protection advancement and encouragement of his royal Majesty and so shall this and after-generations call him blessed 3. Lastly As we expect the full accumulation of these blessings upon us Oh! let your dross be purely purged cease not till the way to these royal priviledges be fully prepared by the purging away of that filth from the daughter of Zion which as hitherto it hath debarr'd us from that mercy we now enjoy so if still not purged thoroughly may render even this blessing but as the shell and shadow of a deliverance destitute of that which is the soul and marrow and fatness of it I might tell you 〈◊〉 dross is yet unpurged what rust lies upon the face of 〈◊〉 Church and Kingdom but I conclude Oh! as you have a â—â—spect to the future honour and excellency of your Priâ—â—â— and to the happinesse of this whole body purge away 〈◊〉 dross of wickedness from your lives of Atheism and Irreligâ—â—â— from your own persons and practices purge away the dross 〈◊〉 erroniousness instability and Pyrrhenian fluctuations from yoâ—â— heads purge away the dross of violence extortion â—apine aâ—â— injustice from your hands purge away the dross of will worship innovations superstitions and traditions of men which 〈◊〉 not of God from your Assemblies purge away the dross 〈◊〉 your places too of blind and ignorant and prophane Administrators of holy things that they may neither creep in noâ— keâ—â— in to the defilement of the sacred Ministerial Office purgâ—â—â— way the dross and dregs of that bitter cup of animosities 〈◊〉 rences hatred of which the Nation hath drunk so deeply 〈◊〉 all your spirits expressions deportments purge away the droâ—â— of an empty profession of God and zeal to the trifles and fringâ—â— of external forms and worship without the power and life 〈◊〉 godliness And lastly purge away the dross of any root of 〈◊〉 terness against or contradiction to the sacred interest of law 〈◊〉 Princes which spirit hath eaten as a Gangrene to the reproaâ—â— of our Religion and advantage of the Popish cause in 〈◊〉 Oh! let every National Personal sin every sin and crookâ—â— path in Church or State be discovered and discarded And 〈◊〉 when these things which are the wall of separation betwiâ—â— people and the refreshing beneficial beams of their Supreâ—â— Authority are withdrawn we may with confidence hope 〈◊〉 as our Judges are restored so they shall be as at the first 〈◊〉 our Counsellors as at the beginning and afterwards we shall 〈◊〉 called A City of righteousness a faithful City Which God of his dear love wherewith he hath love◠〈◊〉 out of the bowels of his mercy Grant unto this 〈◊〉 serving Generation Amen FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cornâ—l à Lapiâ—â— Guido Perigran in florâ— Chroâ—â—c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Facit ut moriatur v. g. Petrus impurus â—brius incestus superbus resurg at pâ—rus sobrius castus humilis A lap in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Vide Abulensem Menoch 9 de rep Hebr. Menochius de rep Hebraeâ—rum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Civitaâ— veritatis urbs fideles Chald. Observ. 1. Vide Sixt. Senens Lib. de Poenit. Since the preaching of this he is fallen asleep in Iesus and gone to his rest a person of the sad impression upon all good men of whose loss I shall only say as August of Cyprian's Quos asflixerat sollicitudo certaminis hos consolâ—ta est corona victoris Mach. disput cap. 26. Claudian ad Honor. Non ante rebus suis privatis consultum eupivit quam publicarum procurationem prorsus absolisset Mas. Luc. Malorum blandientium virus est occultum arridentis nequitiae facies quidem laetâ— sed calamitatis abstrusae illecebrosa fallacia Cypr. Observ. 2. Exercitus ducere aliena vastare urbes delere oppida excidere liberos populos aut trucidare aut subjicere servituri Lact. lib. 1. de falsà relig Observ 3â—
indispensable free Obligations and Oaths of people are fully satisfied What a people may do if free and as the Apostle speaks of a woman loosed from the Law of her husband Rom. 7. by his death which properly cannot be said of the Supreme Magistracy however under a present force is another case but in the interim the intrusion of the greatest persons into that sacred bed is but the ravishment of the people and of such it may be said as in that of Christ to the woman This which thou hast is not thy husband How much the most powerful and fixed sword of usurpation may under all the terrours it keepeth a people under yet lie under the secret disownings nauseatings and disgusts thereof by them I need not open to you whose hearts have been for many years exercised under that affliction and whose many days of prayer and fasting for deliverance have shewn the reality of such dislikes in your own experiences And yet I do not think that the propriety and title of Kings is dependent on the approbation Oathes and Covenants of their people the title of authority being as it was with Israel as it is with us God hath not left a people liberty to carve out the model of their own authority and take it up or cast it off as their own reason or passion shall dictate to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch speaks meddle not with them the duty of Allegiance to Supreme powers is not that which hangs upon the unfixed and wavering principles of humane choice for so there should be as many sorts of Kings as Israel had of gods and as many sorts of Governments as distemper'd brains could fancie to themselves The title of Ieroboam was not the better for the unanimous consent of the ten Tribes in that revolt You inherit as much reason to preserve your Princes as you do by descent to possess your Patrimonies And therefore thirdly I will restore thee Princes such as are thine by designation from God whether accepted or not accepted by thee yet if they come with a mission and unction from God in the active and approbative influx of his will this is a mercy for thee not he whom the people shall chuse for the people chose Absalom and outed David chose Ieroboam and rejected the son of Solomon but he whom God shall chuse And lastly I will restore thee Princes that shall be thine as being such as seek not thine but thee such as do possess that honour splendor power and greatness not for themselves but for thee such as seek thy good and not their own greatness thy profit and not their own praise And surely this is a blessing to purpose and then indeed thy Princes may be called thine when their Magistratical interest is wholly for peoples benefit and advantage 3. The last Branch of the mercy I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Magistracy as at the beginning This is the upshot of all The Question is to what time the Prophet relates in those expressions at the first and at the beginning It may refer either to that time when Israel began to be a distinct people from the rest of the Nations and grown up to be a considerable body having overgrown the notion of a Family or a Colony only and that was when God fetched them out of Egypt and set them under the Government of Moses and Ioshua after him or when Israel began to be a distinct Kingdom in the time of David and Solomon It is not much material which of these ways you understand it because I conceive the design of the words herein is not so much to point out some exact platform of the kind and sort of Magistracy as it is to hold forth 1. The Qualification of the persons that God doth promise shall weild the Scepter of Authority they shall be such as Moses and Ioshua and David and Solomon 2. The right of such persons to possess the Crown having a respect to that captivity in which the people for seventy years shoul lie under the Tyranny of usurped powers And so the whole of this promise is When I have by afflicting thee purged away the dross of thy sin then I will restore the settlement of Authority in its rightful hands to whom by the institution and appointment of God it appertains and thy Princes shall be such as was Moses and Ioshua and my servant David And then this promise had its full accomplishment in the Government of Ezra Ioshua Zerubbabel and others though not in that fullnesse of outward pomp and glory as before And so much for the second part of the Text. 3. Lastly The words set before you that influence of this mercy upon the people upon the account whereof it is a mercy of so great and precious value Afterwards thou shalt be called a City of righteousness the faithful City In these last words is considerable First What shall be the effect of that Government so restored by God It shall have this influence upon the people that 1. They shall become a City of righteousness and faithfulnesse A City or People in which dwells righteousnesse justice to men holinesse to God truth and faithfulnesse the very face and countenance of such a Government shall cause errour wickednesse prophanesse falsenesse and deceitfulness to wither away what rooting soever it have got in this interregna in this time of the destruction or usurpation of Authority And 2. they shall not only so become but so be called they shall be taken notice of as a people eminent and famous and remarkable for justice truth and holinesse and all this by the influence of such a restored Magistracy And then secondly the words import this to be as the effect and â—ssue of this deliverance as appears in that expression afterwarde when this comes to passe so also the crown and glory and perfection of it This is that in which thou shalt receive the greatest good by 〈…〉 of thy lawful Princes that their Authority shall be influential and successful to make thee become and be called The City of righteousnesse The whole of these words being thus opened I shall set before you out of that abundance which the Text affords onely three Considerations pâ—â—tinent and proper to the occasion of this Thanksgiving and such as will comprehend in them the main importance of the Text. It is a choice and singular mercy to any Kingdom Nation or People when especially after a breach made upon it God doth restore to them such a Government and Authority as was that of Moses Ioshua David and Solomon to his people Israel The work of this day is to triumph in the Lord and his goodness upon this very reason God his restoring our Judges as at the first and our Counsellors as at the beginning And therefore I shall but cast in these Considerations as to the truth of this Observation each of which carries light enough
to evidence the Point but all together do shine with such beams of demonstration as may not only convince the judgment but even sets the heart in flames of affection transported with an holy joy when blessed by God with such a deliverance and at such a time Consider therefore 1. If God do restore to a people such a Government as was that of Moses Ioshua David and Solomon then they have a Government and Authority settled over them They do not lie common each to other to become the Arbitrary preys of power and violence I know this Consideration comes not fully up to what may be expected to be spoken yet it 's a blessing of no small concernment for a people to have a Government fixed over them What the Apostle Paul speaks of the Gospel however in the Ministry of evil principled or unduly officed men Phil. 1. 18. However Christ is preached the same I may translate to this case however the undue administration or fixation of Civil Powers may sadden the hearts of the people of God yet in that condition it is some allay that however Magistracy is kept up and the reins are not left in the neck of the unruly multitude When the Author of the Book of Iudges whom some would suppose to be Samuel other Hezekiah and other Ezra c. would set forth the sad estate of Israel the expression is considerable Iudg 21. 25. In those days there was no King in Israel I do not suppose that text or the other in that Book where the same thing is expressed to point at the want of a regal form of Magistracy for neither in those days nor in any former days till after had there been any such constitution with that people but to signifie those intervals and interregna that fell out betwixt the times of their Judges when there was no Magistracy at all And in those days when there was no King there was no peace there was no justice there was no religion in a sort but every man did what was right in his own eyes Consulâ— but a little the cases therein expressed to which your Marginal Notes and Quotations upon that Text have reference Judg. 17. 5. In those days there was no King in Israel and what then the man Micah had an house of gods and made an Ephod and consecrated one of his sons to be his Priest people set up their worship as pleased the liberty of a perverted judgment and erronious Conscience Judg. 18. 1. There was no King in Israel and what then the Danites take the boldness to make rapes upon their Brethren and to cut out an inheritance by the length of their swords Judg. 19. 1. There was no King in Israel and what followed the men of Gibeah do force the Levites Concubine and most shamefully abuse her even unto death and justifie the action with the concurrence of all the Tribe of Benjamin in the defence of that horrid wickedness These are fruits but not the tenth part of the fruits of Anarchy and confusion when God threatens the pouring out of his wrath upon Israel he tells them in Hos. 3. 4. they shall abide many days without a King and without a Priest and without an Ephod which some apply to the time of the captivity others to the days of Antiochus and some to this present state of that people since the time of Christ. It is indeed observed by Tertullian as the misery of that people Dispersi palabundi coeli soli qui exterres vagantur per orbem sine homine sine Deo rege without either God or man to be their King And however Rabbi Benjamin in his Itinerary lately have attempted to publish their places of abode and formes of Government yet the world knows that the Scepter is departed from that people and that they live under the powers and pleasures of others subjected to the Laws to which their wandring estate upon the earth doth bring them in several States Principalities and Kingdoms Seneca calls Government the very vital spirits of a Commonwealth ipsa nihil per se futura nisi onus praeda si mens imperii subtrahatur she her self would be nothing else but a burden to her self and a prey to others if once she had expired the soul of Government And therefore the restitution hereof is a choice and singular mercy to any Kingdom But more 2. If God do restore a Kingdom to such a Government as that of Moses Ioshua David and Solomon then they are restored to a legal rightful and just Government and Authority Those persons were just and lawful Princes such as came to the Scepter by a warrant from God I need not stand upon the proof of that They were not such as mounted the Throne by wickedness and force nor compassed the Crown by falshood or flattery they did not pawn their Consciences and stain their reputation as Tertullian speaks of some in his time propter unius anni volaticum gaudium for the fleeting glory of a short time but they were sent of God Nor shall I need to open by what ways and upon what foundations Magistracy comes to be rightfully and with justice settled in any person He that would have satisfaction in that point I shall desire him but to do his own understanding that right as to consult and ponder that renowned and elaborate Tractate of our reverend Neighbour Mr. Edward Gee about usurped powers Printed and Published in the worst of times with no lesse boldnesse of his blessed soul for God and the vindication of his people then it was pen'd with laboriousnesse judgment and depth of solid reason But that which I shall set before you is the unvaluable blessings of a Magistracy sent approved and warranted and justified by God himself To clear up this let me set before you but a little of what I might say as to the evil of usurpation upon Authority First Usurpers in Magistracy usually fall most foul upon God and the interest of Religion either imposing and enforcing corrupt and wicked innovations upon the people or else supporting a wretched toleration of a boundlesse liberty See for this the practice of Ieroboam for I speak of such Kingdoms and Principalities as have the knowledge and worship of the true God or Jesus Christ whom he hath sent No sooner was he setled in that Throne which of right belonged to the Son of Solomon but the whole course of sacred worship is changed and golden Calves set up at Bethel in stead of God and this thing became a sin to Israel that was inexpiable And indeed usurpation contracts upon its self a sort of necessity of this wickednesse It is one of the Rules and Principles of Machiavil about persons that invade the regal power In id unice intendat oportet ut sicut ipse novus princeps est it a in suo principatu innovet omnia that they be sure of this to bring an innovation
long-lamenting Children but I say in such a day and such a day is this Oh! how obliging is that Deliverance how full and fat and fruitful a Mercy is this I will restore thy Judges as at the first c. And so much shall serve for that Observation The excellency and the choicest chiefest blessing of Authority is when it hath an influence upon such persons as live under it to make them eminent for righteousness and holiness This is that which the Text sets down as the chiefest Ornament of the Imperial Diadem the Crown and Glory of Princes and that which procureth the greatest good and benefit of the people Afterwards thou shalt be called The City of righteousness the faithful City I shall hasten to a conclusion and therefore shall set before you onely these three Demonstrations of this Principle I know upon what foundations the most of men do build up their joys in the restitution of Authority some upon the outward pomp and grandeur of such Kingdoms some upon the hopes of raising themselves and their Estates and Fortunes by them some upon the perswasion of the harmony is betwixt their Princes and them in matters of judgment and the advantage thereby to promote and impose their principles about Religion and the things of God too many whose triumphing is bottom'd not so much upon the righteous establishment of the Throne as upon their own bewitching dreams and pleasant fancies of revenge and of opportunities thereby to pour out their wrath upon the people of their hatred such injury dare wickedness do to sacred Powers as thus to imagine it to furnish their lusts with strength and opportunity such an horrid aspersion dare men some unhappy men cast upon the glorious Scepter of Majesty And they are not few who this day are therefore blessing God because the Iron-rod of Usurpation is shiver'd to pieces and the Scepter is restored to its rightful Tribe whatever shall be the issue Yet thus it should be thus the Lord would have it be Yet Christians let me add that this this is that topmost branch of the glory of Princes when they are Instrumental to make their people a City that is eminent for righteousness truth and holiness That I may shut up your understandings under the conviction of this truth take but these Demonstrations of it 1. That is the Glory and Crown of Magistracy which in the attainment of it is the principal end of its institution by God The suitableness of things to the cause and reason of their beings and when they are effectual to the production of the work for which and for nothing else they were created appointed or raised up by God this is the glory this the beauty of them The institution of the Ministry of the Gospel is in order to the begetting of faith Rom. 10. is for the perfecting of the Saints and the building up of Christs body Ephes. 4. and therefore the Apostle concludes that the influence of his Apostleship upon the Thessalonians suitable to this reason for which he was sent by God this was his glory and his crown of joy 1 Thes. 2. 20. True it is that the choicest Instruments are not always bless'd with the real production of that which is the end of their ordination and appointment the Prophet Isaiah complains that he had laboured in vain and spent his strength for nought but where there is a disposition frame and spirit in such persons suitable to the end of their institution a labouring and wrastling for the effecting thereof so that the frustration ariseth not from the carelesness unsuitableness indisposition of the persons imployed in such an office but from the wilfulness unflexibleness hardness of the object there and in such a case though Israel be not gather'd yet such persons in the eyes of God are glorious Isa. 49. 5. As thus it is in the case of Ecclesiastical so also in that of Civil Powers and Ordinances While men are so taken up in the consideration of Magistracy I would wish them to ponder for what end and reason it was that ever such an Ordinance or thing was appointed by God And let me freely speak it this in the Text was the end thereof That the societies of men might have truth and justice righteousness and holiness running down as a mighty stream in the midst of them When God raised up Moses what was his work but this Numb 11. 12. Carry my people this people of the Lord in thy bosom as the Father doth the sucking-child Rom. 13. He is the Minister of God to thee for good to be a terrour to evil doers but a praise to them that do well Isa. 49. 22. Thy Kings sometimes shall be and ever should be thy Nursing-Fathers and Queens thy Nursing-Mothers This was the glory of Constantine in Lactantius Thou art he saith he qui primâ—â— Romanorum principum repudiatis erroribus majestatem dei veri singularis cognovisti honorâ—sti Princes are not raised up to serve themselves or live in the Pomp and Pleasure of this life much less to serve the lusts of their people and patronize the Atheism and Irreligion or false Religions of their Subjects It is a most cursed reflection upon the honour of our Soveraign that the practice of so many men takes now the liberty to break out in such a violent stream and torrent of prophaness that men begin to be daring and bold in their Oaths and Drunkenness their May-Pole horrid and Heathenish Idolatries their prophanation of Sabbaths and contempt of Ordinances that Popery and the grandest Factors for that interest do lift up their heads with so much imperiousness as if the restoring of our Government to its proper Chanel would be the justification or allowance of these or any of these impieties Alas Christians Curse not the King no not in your thoughts do not apprehend things so injurious and reflecting upon his sacred Crown and Dignity The end of his Royal Power is the punishing suppressing restraining of all such Cursers Swearers Drunkards Sabbath-breakes the lifting up of the happiness and peace of the holy and righteous and peaceable in the Land whom you despise scorn reproach and trample under your feet And therefore the Lord forgive those of you that talk most of your affection to his sacred Majesty and yet do thus conceive and represent him by your practise to the blackest staining of that Princely honour and esteem which should be sacred amongst all people To propagate preserve and prosper righteousness truth and holiness in their Dominions this is the end of Magistracy this is the beauty the most orient perfection in the Imperial Diadem and upon this foundation it is that the glory of Constantine Iustinian and other Christian Princes hath been raised up to such a lasting fabrick as stands still to this day undefaced in their sacred Monuments When Iob a person and Prince of great Authority gives an account of the right administration of his