short view of the particulars in the Text the matter of Davids joy and his peoples happiness a full provision for Religion vers. 4. and for the administration of Iudgment and Righteousness vers. 5 And because I may not attempt to prosecute them in all their branches I must deale in grose and wrap up as much of both verses as I can in this proposition or point of Doctrine The condition of a people is then happy 〈◊〉 fit object of a good mans joy when Religion and Righteousness are joyntly provided for and carried on together Which I shall indeavour to make out from 1. Scripture and 2. Reason The Scriptures I shall reduce to these 4 Ranks viz. 1. These two religion and righteousness are promised as a peoples Happiness that God will set his Tabernacle among them Lev. 26. 11. and his Sanctuary in the midst of them Ezek. 37. 26. All necessaries to the exercise of religion That he will restore their Iudges as at the first and their Counsellors as at the beginning Isa. 1. 26. reduce them to their primitive institution of the same Character they first were when they came out of Gods own hand all necessaries for the administration of Iustice That he will make their Officers peace and their Exactors righteousnesse Esa. 60. 17. When the troubles of a People shall become their Peace and Publicans and Sinners shall be no longer Synonyma's but Two names of the same persons it s no ordinary blessing 2. When God would deale with a people in his Wrath He Iudicially provides against their enjoyment of these Two Upon this account He forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh the tenâ— which he placed aâ—ongst men Psal. 78. 60. and gave that people Statutes tâ—at were nor good and Iudgements whereby they should not live Ezek. 20. 25. That by Statutes and Iudgements are meant Lawes and Rules of Government in one kinde or other is too plaine to be stood upon Of the Morall or Iudiciall Laws of God none I think wil adventure to expound them Of the Ceremonial some have to make the Epithet here given them sutable do distinguish between Bonum non bonum Malum But the Ceremonies were given in Expiationem peccati These Statutes and Judgements In 〈◊〉 peccati Those in Mercy and were a part of that peoples Glory Deu. 4. 8. ro 9. 4. these in wrath as A great Contribution to their Shame and Misery and so must be Statues and judgements i. e. the Lawes Government Rites and Customes of men whom God set over them or delivered them in his wrath So there will be no question why these Statutes are sayd not to be good and but a little why these judgments such whereby they should not live after we have considered how often in Scripture To live is put to signifie not simply life but the convenient accommodations of it amongst which provision for our religious and civill Concernments is of the first magnitude This the Lord in this sad dispensation stript them of by giving them A Government that cared for none of these things 3. The Happinesse of a people is described by these Two What Nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all that Law which I set before you this day Deut. 4. 8. It is an Appeale to the people of Israel whether God had dealt out happinesse to any other Nation at the Rate that he had to them and the instance is in their Statutes and judgements the provision they had for Religion and righteousnesse Statutes being Lawes for a people under a sacred consideration and judgments under a Civill See to the same purpose Psal. 147. 19. 20. 4. Ruine is threatned unto a people upon the neglect of these If it be Religion that Nation and Kingdome that will not serve her and her children shall perish yea those Nations shall utterly perish Esa. 60. 12. If it be Righteousnesse Gods Soule shall be avenged on such a Nation Jer. 5. 29. Reasons 1. From the influence that these two Religion and Righteousnesse have upon a peoples Happinesse An influence if I may so expresse it both 1. Morall and 2. Physicall 1. Religion and Righteousnesse have a Morall influence upon a peoples Happinesse The Lord loadingâ— A Nation with Blessings or Curses according to their care or neglect of these Of this you have a full account in Jer. 22. from the first to the seventeenth Verse to which I must but refer you Augustine observes of Constantine that God bestowed more blessings upon him and his people then others did dare to wish for and the contrary of Iulian who yet was a man of a great spirit and as fit for Empire as the world afforded That States and Kingdomes have naturally their Ortus and Interitus their rise groath declination and ruine I think is but a fancy it is the blessing of God entailed as it were upon the godliness and honesty of a State and Nation that makes them prosperous And t is the curse of God that pursues a wicked people to destruction If Religion be provided for from this day saith God will I bless you Hagg. 2. 18. 19. If Religion be neglected you may date from that very point of time a peoples misery and write down every blessing they have left them spoiled with a curse Mal. 2. 2. If Righteousness be provided for the mountains and hills shall bring such a people peace Psalm 72. 2 3. No place so barren that shall not yield a complication of blessings If Righteousness be neglected what will such a people do in the day of visitation Isaiah 10. 3. 2. Religion and Righteousness have a Physical influence into they have a natural tendency to a peoples welfare Religion will guide them to and the due administration of Iustice will keep them in the nearest way to all the blessings of the life that now is as well as of that which is to come Do you but observe that sobriety temperance chastity that patience humbleness of minde readiness to forgive studiousness to be quiet that industry care frugality laboriousness that unanimity love publike spiritedness fortitude prudence that eye and hand of Iustice upon delinquencies as to any of these which the Scripture requires and if health and peace and riches and honour and safety and every outward blessing fall not soonâ—r into your bosomes then from your strictest observation of all the rules that ever any other booke or discourse in the world hath layd down to these purposes either there is a wisdome above Gods or he delighteth not in the prosperity of his servants Xenophon looking upon the flourishing condition of the Lacedemonians and considering their inconsiderable beginning it became the matter of his wonder but when he saw the provision they had made for the administration of Justice and Righteousness Admirari proâ—â—â—is desinebat his wonder ceased 2. These Two keep God with a people and do settle them with a people under his
protection and these neglected do cause him to depart and to leave them naked The Lord is with you while ye be with him but if ye forsake him he will forsake you 2 Chron. 15. 2. if we keep the word of his patience he will also keep us from the hour of temptaâ—ion Rev. 3. 10. the happiness of a people is in the presence of God their misery in his departure from them When he giveth quietness who can make trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him whether it be done against a nation or against a man onely Iob. 34. 29. I do not think the practice or that Bishop so great a solecisâ—ne in politicks as some others may who when the enemy was coming upon them instead of mustering his people fell a reforming them Ego saith he curabo ecclesiam Deus pro me pugnabit I will take care of my Church and God will fight for me Though I doubt not it was his duty to have done it sooner I might adde 3. That these two are the Pillars the foundation of a State Other things about a building may be neglected and it scarce be damnified Rafters or Tile-stones may be out of order and the house stand but if the foundationâ—aulter down comes the whole about our ears and 4. That these make up a full provision for a peoples happines and secure every one of their interests as men and as Christians But I would reserve a little time for Application Two uses onely I shall make of this point viz. of 1. Information 2. Exhortation 1. Use by way of information in four particulars viz. 1. That though principles of Religion and Righteousness in this or that private person may be very far influential upon a whole Kingdome for good God blessing others for their sakes yet t is the provision for and the practise of these by the Rulers of a Nation that doth advance them into a national blessing Tâ—eir provision for these two is not in order to tâ—emselves alone but to set them before all that are under tâ—em and their practice of them is a conveyance of good to a whole countrâ—y It being an ordinary way with God to concern a people in the sins and judgements in the duties and blessings of their superiors The King sins and the people suffer Ier. 15. 4. the King doth his duty and the people prosper 1 Reg. 4. 25. Those that would deliver the Magistrate from the care of either of these have a minde to deliver the Nation from a fundamental blessing 2. That these two must be joyntly provided for and carried on together For First what is his name or what his sons name if thou canst tell that ever setled one of these in a Nation without the other which of them is it that a people can possibly enjoy alone 1. Is it Religion without Righteousness Who will adventure to give that religion a definition which shall excommunicate one of those Two great Commandements on weich do hang all the Law and the Prophets or undertake for any people under Heaven that they shall enjoy profess owne practise not corrupt revile despise forsake the Truthes wayes worship aâ—d Ordinances of men shall have nothing to do with them if any will engage for Religion upon these Termes it must be one that hath not seriously considered That a House full of Idolls an Ephod for the Worship of God and Teraphim for the Worship of the devill and the running of the people a whoaring after these abominations by whole Tribes was the effect of No King in Israel Judg. 17. 5. and 18. 30. 2. Is it Righteousnesse without Religion then must Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Augustine c. Recant all that they have written to the contrary However Secondly If these Two for any thing that is in their Natures had independency enough to stand each by it selfe it were yet worth a wise mans enquiry whether God will suffer either this or that to stand so as a peoples Happinesse if the other be set aide 1. Set religion aside and suppose a people regardlesse of their duty towards God and he will quickly take a course that they shall have little cause to boast of their Iustice and righteousnesse from men He will take away the Judge and the Prudent and the Ancient and the Honourable and the Counsellour and give Children to be their Princes and Babes to rule over them Esa. 3. 2 3 4. They shall be oppressed and spoiled and none shall save them Deut. 28. 29. 2. Set righteousnesse aside and suppose A people carelesse of their duties of Equity if they do not throughly execute judgement between a man and his Neighbour God will do to such a people as hee did to Shiloh Jer. 7. 5 14. what was that He removed his ordinances Psalm 78. 60 61. If a Nation will needs shew you Solomons melancholy prospect The place of judgement that wickedness is there Eccle. 3. 16. 'T will not be long ere God will shew you another of the same complexion The waies of Sion mourning her places of assembly destroyed her solemne feasts and Sabbaths forgotton Lam. 2. that superstitious fable of Castor and Pollux is a real truth of religion and righteousness not that they live and die by turns but that Solitariae graves salutares geminae They are never auspicious to a state and kingdome but in conjunction 3. That to promote a Government against religion or a A religion against Government is to contrive the buriall of both in a Nations ruine A Government that shall feign a Commission from Heaven to root out all that is Antichristian from the face of the Earth and a religion that shall be abundâ—ntly able to judge Antichristianisme enough to qualifie them for destruction not onely in Ministers and Magistrates and Lawyers but in a Ministry Magistracy Lawes and Government it selfe and in every thing and person else whose institution or reason or Conscience shall forbid them a Communion in the same principles if such Notions once become practicable whither â— beseech you shall the tribes go up or if we knew where to set Thrones of Judgement who shall sit upon them 4. That antimagistraticall spirits principles and practises have nothing in them of good will to a peoples Happinesse which is no were enjoyable but under the shadow of Government Neither Godlinesse nor Honesty will be able to finde anywhere else so much as a toleration To designe Disorder Anarchy and Confusion in the stead of it is to study the removall of whatever is desirable and to provide for the inlet of what wil render us most ridiculous and miserable You wil the more easily beleeve after you have considered 1. The Necessity of that Hedge which these Pioneeres would break down If a Kindome indeed were peopled with Angells or men that never lost their first Estate they might be Lawes unto themselves but as long as sons and daughters of fallen Adam are the materialls
of Stability and Safety If Christians beleeve so much of God they will send him their petitions 3. To our Care Of what of every thing whereby Religion and Righteousnesse may thrive amongst us especially of maintaining the Nurse of both Peace Peace with God that we make not one bridge of our Sins Peace amongst our selves that we make not another of our Folly for their passage from us Pray consider what t is that hedgeth in the blessings of the Text before and behinde T is Peace Peace before at the 3 verse A city compact together not divided and subdivided into more Parties and factions then they knew where to have names for but as another Translation reads it at unity in it selfe and then Thither the Tribes go up and Thrones of Iudgment are setled Peace behinde at the 6 verse at least Rogate pacem A prayer sent to Heaven for it that these mercies might continue This to All 2. To those that are by Office to attend the businesse of this day as you would contribute to the Nations Happinesse afford your respective contributions towards tâ—e advancement of Religion and Righteousness by suffering no breach upon either of them to escape that just recompence of reward which the Lawes have provided for it First For you may Lords the Iudges God forbid you should be supposed without serious apprehensions upon your Spirits 1. That God sits with you Psalm 82. 1. and is present for more purposes then one as Testis to see all you do and with eyes that cannot look upon iniquity -as Iudex to passe his Sentence upon all yours and what a holy care should be taken that the Bench be not divided nor any occasion given for Luthers Deo gratias aliter hic conclusum est aliter in caelo And as vindex to make good if there be cause the title you find him cloathed withall in Psal. 94. 1. A God of revenges 2. That you cannot be too zealous against the obstructions of a peoples Happinesse the Happiâ—â—ssâ— of all the people in tâ—râ—e great Nations 〈…〉 so many thousand soules conâ—â—râ—ed in 〈◊〉 religion and righteousnesse which you are engaâ—ed to take care of That if a destructive a misâ—â—eivous rape by restless and incorrigible spirits be made upon their blessings Optimum misericordiae genus est occidere 3. That as much as in you lies you provide for the Honour of God of the supreme Magistrate of your selves of the Nâ—â—ion in providing for the safeguard of religion and righteousness 1. Of God for the blaspheming of whose name if occasion be given by a peoples wickedness it is doubtlesse by their impunity 2. Of the supreme Magistrate When Iovinian was voted Emperour by the Army he told them he was a Chirstian and would not be a Leader of Pagans The more conformity can be wrought upon a people the more of glory will be cast upon their Governours T is not the lowest title of Iesus Christ himself that he is King of Saints 3. Of your selves God will honour those that honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Aristides for his care of Iuâ—â—ice was called Graecorum faelicitas How much more shall you be celebrated as our blâ—ssings whilst you care for that and râ—ligion too 4. Of the Nation wâ—ose Statutes how righteous soever will â—ot leave upon them an imprâ—ssion of glory unless their judgements be of the samâ—Character and 4. Lastly That you have no way else to answer the end of your institution to be the Ministers of God to us for good Ro. 13. 4. Secondly For you that are to present misdemeanours against the blessings of the Text you will I hope so discharge your oaths and trusts that neither Religion nor Righteousness shall have any cause to complain But I shall crave leave to tell you 1. That Religion will if you know any of her Ordinances lost or profanely misapplyed her duties disturbed her solemnities rayled at her great glory and ornament The late Act for the better observation of the Lords day despised or neglected or find her suffering in any of her concernments that the Law hath taken notice of and say nothing she will complain And 2. So will Iustice and Righteousness if you conceal any one Delinquency against it especially their male-administrations who have taken an oath and a Commission to dispense it and I tâ—ink'twere better you stood charged by all the Bills of Inditement that will be exhibited this Assizes then that the cry of these against you should enter into the ears of the Lord of Saboth Interest hath been a great word amongst us for diverse years and it is so still and a national interest is sometimes talkt of The great interest of any Nation is to keep God with them I shall conclude with a repetition of that exhortation which the Doctrine we have been considering presseth you with viz. that you would all of you contribute towards the entertainment of God with us by contributing to the safety of Religion and Righteousâ—ess If these fail God must be gonâ— and ask tâ—e Prophet what a woe he will leave behind him Hosâ—a 9. 12. If Religion fail where shall God walk For his way is in the Sanctuary Psalm 77. 13. Aâ—d if Righteousness fail with whom shall he converse To be sure the Throne of iniquity shall have no communion with him Psalm 94. 20. To provide as much as in you lies against these the failing I mean of Religion and Righteousness is both your duty and your interest that the Nation may be happy in the blessings of the Text the Lord delighting to dwell amongst us and to be in the midst of us less then this we cannot have and more we need not to make us happy FINIS Exod. 25. 22. Deut. 16. 16. Amos 5. 7. Cic. 2. offic. Aug. in loc. Ainsw. in Deut. 4. 1. De Civit dei l. 5. c. 25. uni es in l. 5. c. 21. 1 Tim 2. â—2 1. Sa. 15. 4. Johnson Geography p. 165. 207. 236. 475.