Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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B08892
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A sermon preach'd at the election of the Governour, at Boston in New-England, May 19th 1669. by John Davenport.
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Davenport, John, 1597-1670.
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1670
(1670)
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Wing D367A; ESTC W26450
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12,827
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18
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adjured them before the Lord. 2. His Modesty 1 In that he speaks only negatively that he had done them no wrong though he could have spoken positively of much good they had received by his Government 2 In that he mentioned the lesser things Oxen and Asses implying that much less had he wronged them in greater things 2. They must Rule in the fear of God Which contains in it all matters of Religion contained in the first Table of the Law whereof the filial reverential obediential fear of God is the summe and foundation and head-points Eccles 12.13 Let us hear the end of all Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man 1 Prov. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge The fear of God is a sanctifying gift of Grace wrought by the Holy Ghost in the hearts of the Elect proceeding from a right knowledge of God whence they exalt him above all and are inclined to the obedience of his revealed will in all things 1. The fountain hereof is sanctifying Grace therefore I call it a gift of Grace Let us have grace whereby we may so serve God Heb. 12.28 c. 2. The principal efficient hereof is the Holy Ghost Isa 11.2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him 3. The subject recipient of it is the heart of the Elect Jer. 32.40 And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will never turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 4. The rise of it is from a right knowledge of God Jer. 22.15 16. Did not thy Father eat and drink and prosper when he executed Judgment and Justice when he judged the cause of the afflicted and Poor he prospered was not this because he knew me saith the Lord. 1. In his Soveraignty Jer. 10.6 2. In his Immensity Isa 40.15 c. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the dust of the ballance c. 3. In his Omnipresence Psal 130.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence 4. In his Justice It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hos 3.5 1 Sam. 12.24 5. The property of it is Heb. 10.31 1. To exalt God above all as the highest object of our submission Prov. 22.4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches honour and life 2. Affiance Psal 147.11 But the Lord delighteth in them that fear him 3. Love Deut. 10.12 And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to serve him and love him And God is thus exalted 1. When his word prevaileth above all other words Isa 66.2 To him will I look even to him that is of an humble and contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Acts 5.28 29. Did not we straitly command you that you should not teach in this Name Then Peter and the Apostles answered and said We ought rather to obey God than Men. 2. When the Omnipresence of God causeth us to approve our selves and wayes to him Gen. 17.1 I am God alsufficient walk before me and be thou upright Job 1.5 He sanctified his Sons and offered burnt Offerings for Job thought It may be my Sons have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts Eccles 8.12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and God prolong his dayes yet I know it shall be well with them that fear the Lord c. 3. When the fear of God overcometh all carnal fears Dan. 3.16 17 18. Shadrach Meshach Abednego answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter behold the God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace he will deliver us out of thine hand O King but if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy God nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up Heb. 11.27 Hence follows 1. A firm cleaving to God in the obedience of Faith Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God thou shalt serve him and cleave to him Thus they must fear God in their persons 2. In their Families Psal 101.2 I will do wisely in the perfect way till thou comest to me I will walk in the uprightness of my heart in the middest of mine house Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in uprightness and in truth Josh 24.14 and put away the Godds which your Fathers served beyond the flood and in Egypt and serve ye the Lord. 3. They must exercise it in their Civil Government in the Common-wealth Psal 2.10 11. Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord in fear and rejoyce in trembling Psal 27.5 III. These two Justice and the fear of God must be conjoyned by Gods Ordinance in Rulers over men if they would have his presence assistence and blessing with them in their publick Administrations Reas 1. From the order of the conjunction of Justice with the fear of God which is as of the Effect with the Cause therefore the fear of God is first to be exercised and Justice is to be regulated by it The Scripture plentifully shews what a strong and powerful influence and efficacy the true fear of God exerteth in reference to all Moral duties among men Moderation in Joseph who would not abuse his publick Authority unto private revenge giving this for his Reason I fear God Gen. 50.19 20. Mercy with the Midwives preserving the Male-Infants Exod. 1.21 Justice in Judges against Usury and Oppression 2. Chron. 6 7. Neh. 5.9 and his different carriage from former Governours in easing the People of burthensome Charges what he could Psal 14.15 against the prophaning of the Temple and of the Sabbath and neglect of the Priests and Levites and the Marriages of strange Wives Chap. 13. Reas 2. From the great Trust committed to Civil Rulers 1. To do Justice according to Scripture-Rules 2 Chron. 19.6 7. 2. To see that others do justly towards one another for he is the Minister of God for thy good Rom. 13.4 c. 3. To protect men in every good way 1 Tim. 2. 2. Pray for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 4. To uphold the Churches walking in the order of the Gospel Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy nursing Mothers c. 5. Their End should be to exalt Christ in dispensing his Government in Textu Psal 2.10 11. 72.1 to 18. Vse Exhortation 1. To the Freemen who are entrusted by the Community to chuse Magistrates by their suffrages to follow the counsel of Jethro to Moses Exod. 18.21 Moreover provide thou among all the People men
of courage men fearing God hating covetousness c. as Moses did vers 25. which also Moses gave to the Tribes Deut. 1.13 Motive 1. The choice of good Rulers will be a sign and pledge of Gods intendment to bless their Government and his People thereby For when God gives Rulers whom he intends to make a blessing to his People they shall be such as are blessed of him in Christ for the good of that People Isa 1.25 26. Then I will turn mine hand upon thee and burn out thy dross till it be pure and take away all thy tinn and I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning If this be neglected the Government will not be blessed and the welfare of the People will be ruined But if Christ bless the Governours he shall be our peace whatsoever Enemies come against us or rise up among us And he shall be our peace when Ashur shall come into our Land Mic. 5.5 6. c. he will raise seven Shepherds and eight principal Men that shall be our Relief But you have no Instance in Scripture that ever God was with a People to bless them in a course of special Providence when they that feared not God were their Rulers by their own consent and choice Let Christ therefore have the preheminence in all things and in your choice of Rulers for the Commonwealth and in order thereunto see that they whom you choose to be Rulers be men interressed personally in Christ For when they that are called to Ruling Power cease to exert it in subserviency to the Kingdom of Christ there will be an end of New-England's Glory and Happiness and Safety Mot. 2. You must submit to their Authority and perform all duties to them whom you have chosen to be your Rulers whether they be good or bad by vertue fo the Relation between them and you So Wives to their Husbands though Unbelievers 1 Cor. 7.13 And Servants to their Masters though froward 1 Pet. 2.18 Therefore as this should Caution Women and Youngmen to beware of chusing bad Husbands and Masters so and much more it should Caution you in your choosing publick Rulers if you mind the publick or private good of yours Mot. 3. If men unjust and that fear not God be chosen Rulers of the Common-wealth all the People are in danger of being punished by the wrath of God for the sins of their Rulers Bad men being in publick place will give bad counsel to corrupt Religion Ezek. 11.1 2. Jaazaniah and Palatiah Princes of the People are said to be the men that imagine mischief and devise wicked counsel in the City the end will be ruine See when the men of Shechem chose a bramble Abimelech to be their Ruler see Judg. 9.2 14 15 23 52 53. The sins of Jeroboam and of those that succeded him their corrupting Religion ruined not only their own Families but also all Israel which was threatned 1 King 14.15 For the Lord shall smite Israel as when a Reed is shaken in the Water and he shall weed Israel out of this good Land which he gave to their Fathers and shall scatter them beyond the River because they have made groves provoking the Lord to anger The same befel Judah for the sins of Manasseh Jer. 15.4 And for the sins of other Rulers by corrupting Religion and unrighteous dealings whereof the Prophets complained Exhort 2. To those who by the consent of the Freemen Vse are according to Gods Ordinance to be invested with Magistratical Power and Authority to observe Moses his Charge to the Judges Deut. 1.16 17. And I charged your Judges that same time saying Hear the Controversies between your Brethren and judge righteously c. and Jehoshaphats 2 Chron. 19.9 10. Be wise therefore ye Rulers and consider that your Life and all our Good your Prosperity and Protection lies not in this or that Politick design or whatsoever else under the Sun but alone in Gods gracious Presence with you Psal 4.6 7. Oh! provoke him not to depart from us but seek the continuance of his presence with us and fix your thoughts on the things which tend to assure Gods special providential Presence with us The things incumbent on you in order hereunto are such as respect either Persons or Things my desire is to speak in love to the Truth and Peace 1. For Persons Provide for the Protection Encouragement and Liberty of all those whom God owneth to be his People that fear him take care that they be not trodden under foot nor swallowed up nor exposed to the rage and contempt of men only for those that walk orderly and peaceably not offensively to one or other or to the Church of God though they differ from others in their Apprehensions and Perswasions though misguided yet are willing to receive Light in Gods way and time These are to God as the Apple of his Eye and let their Safety be also to you Be not ready to receive ill reports against them Jer. 20.10 Report say they and we will report c. Psal 15.3 nor receiveth a false report against his neighbour 1 Tim. 1.19 2. For Things They are either the things of God or the things of Men 1. For the things of God the publick Profession and Practice of Religion which is in great danger by two extreams misguided Zeal and Formallity Let the Honourable Court therefore approve themselves to Rule in the fear of God by their personal knowing imbracing and obeying the Gospel of Christ and by their protecting the Churches that are orderly gathered and walk according to Gospel-Rules from the violence and injuries of their opposers remembring that dreadful threatning Isa 60.12 For the Nation and the Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish c. I shall add a few Caveats 1. Take heed of a various management of matters of Religion to the advantage of the present postures and condition of your Civil Affairs The things of Christ should be as Josephs Sheaf to which all other should bow When they are made to cringe and bend to mens Policies they are no longer the things of Christ All Gods Truths are Eternal and Unchangeable by men Give them all at once the soveraignty of your Souls and have not the least thought of making them bend to serve your worldly ends but cleave to the Truth of the Precepts and live by the Truth of the Promises for performance whereof the God of Truth hath engaged his Alsufficiency 2. Take heed and beware that you deprive not any Instituted Christian Church walking according to Gospel Rules of the Power and Priviledges which Christ hath purchased for them by his precious blood and given unto them Mat. 16.19 God calls Civil Rulers to protect and preserve such Churches if he hath given them liberty and you subject them to bondage if he hath given them power in their proper concernments within themselves and you countenance and uphold others to exercise