The first of these Propositions appropriates our La­mentation to the Loss of a good King, such as was Josiah; of whom the Prophet so pathetically speaks, The breath of our nostrils, the Anoynted of the Lord, Lam. 4.20 was taken in their Pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we shall live among the Heathen. Or as Gro­tius renders the last words, In spite of the Heathen.

The Fresh Air through the Nostrils makes its way to the Lungs, and with them fans the Heart, by its nitrous Spirit advancing, and by its Coolness adjusting the Circulation of the Blood; and thereby imparts new Vigour to each Member of the Body. Thus good Josiah, 2 Chron 34.3 [...]. by reading the Book of the Law to the Peo­ple, and renewing the Covenant with the Lord, restrain­ed those Feuds and Quarrels, which the variety of [Page 4] their Idolatries produc'd, and united the different Sects into the Worship of one God. By this he gave new Strength to Judah and Benjamin for their Support a­gainst their Enemies. What Streams of Tear did the Loss of such a Prince call for?

But had they liv'd under a King, who by ans open Example and Encouragement of Debauchery, should have drawn the People from their Covenant with the Lord, and by secret Favours bestow'd on Idolaters, should have tempted Judah from worshiping the God of Ja­cob. If he should have prepar'd the way for Pharo Necho, by crumbling his People into Factions; and by turns wheting the Anger of Judah against Benjamin, and Benjamin against Judah; it would be hard to perswade Men to call such a King the Breath of their Nostrils. And when they were in so much Danger of Ruine by his Life, they would be apt not to be very passionately concern'd for his Death.

From what has been said, the Reason of the first Proposition will appear, viz. Why the loss of a good King gives such cause of Lamentation. 'Tis because he has no Interest separate from that of his People. This is plainly implied in the Words of the Text, The Crown is fallen from our Head. That is, as the People have no Head but their King, so the King has no Body but his People; and that there can be no more separate Interest of a Sovereign from his People, than of the Head from the Body. And that this is the true No­tion of that relation which is between Prince and Peo­ple, appears from all those Characters, by which Su­preme Magistrates are describ'd to us in the Book of Go; which are these Five, viz. [Page 5]

• Fathers,
• Captains,
• Judges,
• Shepherds,
• Gods.

1. Fathers; so God promiseth to a good People suitable Governours. Kings shall be thy Nursing fathers, Isa. 49.23. and Queens thy Nursing-mothers. Now what interest can a Father have separate from that of his Family? Or can a Mother divide her Assection from her Chil­dren; the pretended Mother who appear'd before So­lomon would have divided a Living Child that she might have had part of it to her self,1 Kings 3.26. while the true Mother could not separate her Bowels of Compassion from the Fruit of her Womb. This Title of Father expresses justly the nature of that Love which is ow­ing by the Prince to his People. It has indeed been made use of by some to a very different purpose; to prove that Regal Authority is founded in Paternal, al­though whoever considers the Relation between Father and Son will see how absurd this Notion is. For, (1.) Nature gives to all Parents equal power over their Families, so as to exclude the Unkles power over his Nephews Family; and the Grandfathers, nay Fa­thers, over the respective Families of Son, and Grand­son. (2.) The Mother has to Filial Obedience equal Right with the Father. (3.) Execution of Vin­dictive Power, whereby a Father shall pass Sentence of Death upon his Son seems unnatural. Nor do we find it came into the Thoughts of Adam to avenge the Murther of Abel by adjudging Cain to death; nor can I perceive that the imaginary Patriarchal Au­thority has any Foundation in Nature, so as to render the younger Brother upon the Father's death subject to the Elder. For, (1.) Brotherhood bespeaks equali­ty, [Page 6] as appears by what God saith to the Elder Brother of all Mankind, when he had conceiv'd Wrath against his younger.Gen. 4.6,7. And the Lord said unto Cain, why art thou wrath? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted? If thou dost not well sin lyeth at the door; (that is, the punishment of thy sin draws near) the following words of the Verse want only a point of Interrogation to make 'em under­stood; for instead of, Ʋnto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. The Learned P. Fagius thus renders it; Num Abelis desiderium ad te erit? num tu eris ejus dominus? Shall his desire be to thee? Shalt thou rule over him? Such an Interrogation is a strong denial of any Authority the Elder Brother can by na­ture claim over the Younger.

But 2dly, How can we conceive that Nature gives the Nephew Authority over his Unkle, and Great Un­kle? Which the Notion of Patriarchal Power does ne­cessarily infer.

And 3dly, To found Kingly Power in Patriarchal Primogeniture, seems as Impolitick as 'tis Unnatural; because it shakes the Thrones of all Kings, there being no Throne at this time fill'd with the true Patriarch Lineally descended from the Eldest Son of Noah: Or at least who is able to derive and prove such a Pedi­gree.

But to return from this digression. We are sure that we can justly say of a good King, He is a Father of his Countrey. 'Tis Fatherly Care he expresses in the Administration of his High Office; he provides for the Education of his People in good Living; he restrains [Page 7] the publishing of Bad Principles; he checks ill Tem­pers, and chastiseth those wicked Servants who by their ill Examples would endanger the corrupting of his Family; he bears an equal Affection to all his Du­tiful Subjects, not suffering himself through any unac­countable fondness to distinguish some of his Children from others, so long as all join in an equal respect to him. But if there be any such in his Family who have the impudence to own another Father, either Spiritual or Civil, 'tis a just provocation for him to disown them; and look upon them as the Children of a strange Woman, a Babylonish Breed, and Sons of Be­lial.

What Lamentation is too much for the loss of such a Father of his Countrey? Who would not say with Jeremiah? Oh that my Head were Waters, Jer. 9.1. and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears! Or if a People professing God's Holy Truths should lose such a Nursing-mother, should we not behold the sorrowful Children weeping for Rachel, and refusing Comfort because she is not?

2. Another Title the Holy Spirit gives to the High­er Powers is that of Captains; in this style the Pro­phet Isaiah delivers a Message from God to good He­zekiah, Turn again and tell Hezekiah the Captain of my People, thus saith the Lord, 2 King; 20.5. &c. And is it not the Interest as well as Duty of the General to preserve the Host under his Command? With relation to this Con­duct it was, that when the Lord appointed Samuel to anoint Saul King, he describes the Kingly Office by that of a General. To morrow about this time I will send thee a Man out of the Land of Benjamin,2 Sam. 9.16. and thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my People Israel, [Page 8] that he may save my People out of the Hand of the Phi­listines.

The General of God's Host could not be sase but by preserving the Armies of Israel. The good Captain by strict Discipline retains his Souldiers in their Duty, and makes them pay an exact Obedience to his Or­ders. His Vigilance secures them in their Marches, his Judgment and Experience directs them in their En­campments, his Providence and Foresight prevents Want and Surprize, and his Justice deters them from Treachery or Mutiny; on the other side, the good General never fails to preser those whom he has sound to be Meritorious, and does at least make it equally his Care to Reward the good Soldier, as to punish him who deserves ill. There is a Steddiness as well as a Pre­sence of Mind which does always accompany him; and gives that Assurance to his Army which is the Pledge of Victory. And is not this the Character of an Ex­cellent Prince? One who is both the Head and Heart of his People.

3. There was a time when the Supream Magi­strates in Israel were call'd Judges, as appears by their History compiled in a Book bearing that Name: The true Business of those who preside in Courts of Judica­ture will appear from the Charge Moses gave to the Judges of Israel, Deut 1.16. Hear the causes betwixt your Bre­thren, and judge righteously between every Man and his Brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect Persons in Judgment; but ye shall hear the Small as well as the Great; you shall not be afraid of the Face of Man, for the Judgment is God's. 'Twas the good of the People which was given in Charge to the [Page 9] Judges, who were set as Guardian Angels for desence of Israel against the Sons of Violence. They are there­fore forbid to cast an Eye upon their own particular Interest; but an impartial Administration of Justice without Prejudice or Passion; hope or fear is recom­mended to 'em, thereby to put an end to all Contro­versies, to allay all Heats, Feuds, and Passions, and to take from every Man all pretence of a Right to re­venge himself; for as Revenge casts Judgment out of Doors, so Judgment makes Revenge needless; it puts a stop to the first Springs of all Desires, shewing how vain a thing it will be for an Ahab to covet Naboth's Vineyard. 'Tis the right Administration of Justice which is the Bond of Humane Society; it secures to every Individual his Life, and his Property, and there­by Industry is encouraged, and the Wealth and Strength of a Nation advanc'd.

Such a due course of Justice was maintain'd during the Reign of good Josiah; and as that rendred his Peo­ple happy, so it made his Memory precious, and his Loss so greatly lamented; whereas the contrary practice of his Son Jehoiakim brought Ruin upon his own House, Misery upon his Kingdom, and Infamy upon his Name, insomuch that God himself forbad any Lamentation to be made for his Death, or decent Burial to be bestow'd on his Body. The Burthen of this unhappy Prince is de­nounc'd by Jeremiah thus;Jer. 22.13, &c. Wo to him that buildeth his House by Ʋnrighteousness, and his Chambers by Wrong. It seems this Prince was pleas'd with an appearance of Magnificence, and Glory, though at the rate of op­pressing, and spoiling his Subjects; and to this the Prophet alludes in the following Verses, in which he proceeds with the Wo to him that saith, I will build me [Page 10] a wide House, and large Chambers, and cutteth him out Windows, and it is ceiled with Cedar, and painted with Vermilion. Shalt thou Reign because thou [...] thy self in Cedar? Did not thy Father Eat, and Drink, and do Judgment, and Justice, and then it was well with him. Was not this to know me? saith the Lord: But thy Eyes, and thy Heart are not but for thy Covetousness, and to shed Innocent Blood: And for Oppression, and for Violence to do it. Therefore thus saith the Lord con­cerning Jehoiakim the Son of Josiah King of Judah, they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my Brother, or Ah Sister. They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah Lord, or Ah his Glory. He shall be buried with the Burial of an Ass, and cast forth beyond the Gates of Jerusalem. This wo makes a full description of the unhappy state of a Kingdom when the Fountain of Justice is corrup­ted, when Courts of Judicature become Snares to the People, when Mens Causes are not Tried, but their Persons, when no Man shall have Right done him, unless he himself is content to be an Instrument in op­pressing his Countrey, or in wronging his Neighbour. When the Laws are interpreted to serve turns. When those Laws which were intended for a steddy, and equal Rule to all are extended or streighten'd as the oc­casion requires; as an Innocent Man is to suffer, or a profligate Offender to escape. When Murthers are committed in Forms of Justice. When a Judge of this kind, when such a Prince falls, the People are forbid to lament, (though one might think such a prohibi­tion needless) and the Prophet tells 'em expresly he is to be Buried with the Burial of an Ass; Infamy is to follow, and to stick upon his Memory.

4. Sometimes the Soveraign Prince in Sacred Style is call'd a Shepherd.Isa. 44.28. God saith of Cyrus he is my Shepherd; and in Ezekiel the words Shepherd and Prince signifie the same thing I will set up one Shep­herd over them, and he shall feed them, Ezek. 34.23,24. even my Ser­vant David. He shall be their Shepherd, and I the Lord will be their God, and my Servant David a Prince among them. And as it is the Business and Interest of the Shepherd, so it is the Business and Interest of the Prince to cherish, preserve, and increase the Flock. The watchful Eye, the tender Heart, and the gentle Hand become the one no less than the other. And when God found out a Man atter his own Heart to preside o­ver his peculiar People: He chose David his Servant, Psal. 78.70,71. and took him from the Sheepfolds following the Ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his Inheritance. That watchful Care which he exercis'd in the Shepherd's Tent prepar'd him for the Business of the Throne. That concern which he shew'd for a Lamb taken from him improv'd it self in­to a Zeal to rescue Israel from the Philistin Army. The Courage which he shew'd against the Lion and the Bear, who were about devouring his Flock, recommend­ed him to be Saul's Champion against Goliah; and the Blessing of God upon his first Enterprize gave him hopes of success in the second.1 Sam. 17.36. Thy Servant slew both the Lion and the Bear, and this uncircumcis'd Philistine shall be as one of them. Nor did he forget the Crook, when he was possess'd of the Scepter; but had the same regard to his People, which before he shew'd to­wards his Flock, as appears by that Address which in a Shepherds Style he made to God when he saw the Angel smiting Israel with Pestilence.2 Sam. 24.17. Lo I have sinned, [Page 12] and I have done wickedly; but these Sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my Fathers House. If a People be bereft of such a Shepherd, such a Prince as this, we may con­clude with Zachary, they had reason to be troubled, because they had no Shepherd. Zach 102.

5. The last, and greatest Title which the Holy Scriptures give to Sovereign Princes is that of Gods. Thou shalt not revile the Gods, Exod. 22.28. nor curse the Ruler of thy People. So high, so superlative a Title may perhaps have given occasion to Flatterers, and ill Men to sug­gest to Princes such Notions of their Glory as might be distinct, and separate from their Peoples good. But I cannot find that the Glory of God himself, as So­vereign of all, is seperate from the good of Mankind, either in his Creation, Preservation, Redemption, Sanctification, or Salvation, all which are the Works of his Sovereign Power, and said to be wrought for his Glory.

The two first of these may be considered together, because the preservation of Beings is but the continu­ance of the power exerted in their Creation. 'Tis on­ly the permanency of that Word or Will by which all things were made. And if The Heavens declare the Glory of God, Psal. 19.1,2. and the Firmament shews his Handy-work, if one day tells another, and one night certifies another. Do not all these Works of God as clearly demonstrate to us our own Advantage, as much as their Maker's Glory? Was not the Earth, Water, and Air, com­manded to bring forth Plants, Fish, Fowl and Beasts, for the use of Man, as for the Glory of God!

Or did God make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy, Rom. 9.23 24. which he had afore prepar'd unto Glo­ry? viz. Accomplishing the Redemption of Lost Man by the Mediation of Christ Jesus,Heb. 1.3. Who was the brightness of his Glory, and express Image of his Person. And did he not in this glorifie himself by the greatest Gift the Heavenly Father could bestow upon his Children? Or the Son of God purchase for his Brethren?

And how is God glorified by our Sanctification? but as he enriches our Hearts with the Gifts of his Holy Spirit, and Treasures of his Divine Graces; the only true Comforts and Support we are capable of in this Life, and the Earnest of that immarcessible Crown of Glory, i.e. The full Completion of Happiness we ex­pect hereafter. In all these respects St. Paul joins God's Glory and our Good together.Eph. 3.14. &c. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his Glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit, that ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the length, and breadth, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.

In Sum. God who is self-subsisting Perfection, who in the language of Nature is styl'd Optimus Maximus, the best and greatest of Beings, cannot serve himself any way by us, so as to add any thing to his Power, Wisdom, Goodness, Justice, Veracity, Immutability or Eternity; but on the contrary, God serves us by him­self,Luk. 22.27 (so Christ was amongst us as he that serveth) and we are every moment sensible of the Benefits we receive from the Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and all the Attri­butes of God. Nay, every Precept of his Law con­tains [Page 14] a Favour bestow'd on us, as well as a Duty en­joyn'd.

And in this Kings are as Gods to their People; their Power is imploy'd for their Protection, their Wisdom for their Direction, their Goodness for their Support, and their Veracity is a full Security to them for rely­ing upon their Promises. 'Tis true, the Justice of God executes Vengeance upon Evil-doers, and hereby he preserves the Souls of his Saints, Psal. 97.10. and delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Without this Justice, how could his Kingdom stand in this World? And had he not so ordered it,Psal. 55.23. that the bloody and deceitful man should not live out half his days; and that the lapsed Angels should be reserv'd in everlasting Chains; Jude 6. how could he be called the Preserver of Men?

In like manner 'tis the Glory of a King by Judgment to establish a Land; Prov. 29.4. by giving the Law its due course, upon all the Enemies to his Government, all Oppressors of his Subjects: And if a mighty Hunter after Blood shall arise, as Nimrod was of old, who shall look upon the Prosperity of his Neighbours to be a Diminution to his Glory: In such a case, 'twill be the true Glory of God's Vicegerents to execute St. Paul's Anathema against such an Enemy of the Cross of Christ; and make such an Oppressor feel, that his end is Destruction, because his Glory is in his Shame. Phil. 3.19.

The Na [...] of Gods given to Sovereign Princes may import, th [...] they are unaccountable to their People. And yet w [...]nd the Supream Majesty of Heaven and Earth, w [...] receives not his Crown from another, does render [...] Account of himself to us: [...] 18 25 Hear, O House of Israel, Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal? He does in a manner set his People on the Seat of Ju­dicature, [Page 15] and place himself at the Bar, intreating them to give their Judgment upon his Administration.Isa. 5.3,4. And now, O Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my Vineyard: what could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it? In such a manner as this Princes may be said to be accountable to their People. But it would be very false reasoning from hence to conclude, That because God is pleased in such a manner to submit his Sovereign Administrations to the Judgment of Men, (and Men will in the like manner judge of the Actions of Princes) that therefore a People may assume to themselves a Judicial Power over their Sovereign Lord. Against an Unrighteous and Illegal Proceeding of this kind the whole Nation enters its solemn, anniversary Protest this day, acknowledging with Shame and De­testation, that the Sentence then executed upon our lawful and rightful Sovereign Lord King Charles the First, to have been a notorious and crying piece of In­justice. Indeed, the Nature of the thing demonstrates at the first View, the Absurdity of such a Proceeding; nothing being more ridiculous, than that a Prince, in whom 'tis confess'd by all, the whole Executive Power of the Law is lodg'd, should become legally accounta­ble to his Subjects, and answerable to that Justice, which he alone has the right of administring.

But yet it is not necessary to carry this Notion so far, as to take all right of Self-preservation from Subjects, and to put their Lives and their Estates, their Wives and their Children, under the lawless Power of every Prince, who thinks fit to degenerate into a Tyrant, and to oblige Men to sit quietly, and to see the Laws, the Religion, and the Liberties of their Country over­turn'd, [Page 16] and themselves and their Posterity brought into Slavery. But even in such a case as this there can be no Legal Jurisdiction pretended to: No Judicature re­mains to judge of the Prince's Actions. Indeed, the Pretence of the High Court of Justice to judge of their King, was never own'd by the Body of the People. 'Twas an upstart monstrous Opinion, hatch'd by the heat of War: And as it was very absurd and mon­strous, so it was but an [...], an Insect of a Days Duration; and is now disown'd by all sorts of People amongst us; the whole Body of the Nation being af­fectionately disposed to Monarchy, and convinc'd of the utter Impossibility of setting up any other Form of Government amongst us. And if there be a Man left that has other Thoughts (as such a Visionary there may be) 'tis well for us that he stands alone, that we are sure he can have no sensible Man of his side; because no sensible Man can join in a Design against the Geni­us of the People, against the Laws and Customs, a­gainst the Liberty and Property of the Nation, all which are founded upon, and united to the true anci­ent legal Monarchy of this Kingdom.

And it ought to be a Comfort to us all, when we see that Body of Men, who in some Church matters unhappily dissent from us, yet heartily joining with us to pay a just Deference, and dutiful respect to that Man, whom God hath raised up to be the nursing Father of his Church amongst us; who by his especial Provi­dence, and by the universal Consent of the Nation, is Rightfully possessed of the Throne of these Realms, who, as a great Captain, defends us from the Destroy­er abroad; and as a Judge, secures us against the Sons of Violence at home; who like the good Shepherd our [Page 17] Saviour mentions,Joh. 10.11 is always ready to lay down his Life for his Flock; and thereby also shews himself as a God amongst us. May Almighty God preserve him long to be a Blessing to us, and secure his Person in the midst of those Dangers, to which he is contented to expose himself for our sakes, and for the common Liberty of Europe. And since the best and bravest of Princes must at last die, may it be many, very many Years hence, before this Nation may have cause to take up the Lamentation of the Prophet, and bewail, that the Crown is fallen from our Head.

II. The Second Consideration which arose from the Text, was this: viz. In the day of our Lamentation we should lay to Heart those Sins which brought Gods Judgment upon us, in order to prevent the like for the future. Wo to us, that we have sinned.

Although there be no Evil of any sort in a Land, which is not a Moral Cause of bringing it under Gods Visitation; yet there are some Sins, which are the Na­tural and Specifick Causes of their respective Punish­ments. Thus Excess brings Diseases, Pride begets Con­tempt, Idleness Poverty. And the proper Enquiry of this Day is after those sins, which by their own par­ticular Energy occasion the loss of a good Prince, and thereby bring Affliction upon a People; which I take chiefly to be these two:

• I. Flattery. And,
• II. Faction.

1. Flattery was the Engine Satan first contriv'd to se­duce and ruine the Parents of Mankind. He told them, [Page 18] that some Prerogatives were then wanting to fill up that great Character God had impressed upon them; which must be attain'd, though against Law, that they might do themselves Right: For though the Law forbad them to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, yet it must be done; and then your Eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, Gen. 3.5. said the Flatterer. And how the Crown is here­by sallen from our Head, what Woes and Lamentati­ons have arisen from hence, their whole Posterity both feel and see.

And has not the same detestable Sin of Flattery drawn Princes to aspire at such an Absolute and Arbitra­ry Power, as was not only beyond, but inconsistent with that just Prerogative which God's Providence had invested them with? God knows how great a Share in the Calamity which we lament this day, this Sin had. An entire Subjection of all we had to Despotick Power, was call'd Apostolical Obedience; and that specious Name was made use of as a Bait to draw the Prince into a Separate Interest from his People, which was indeed to divide him from himself. And we in our days have seen the same Engine at work, and are sadly sensible of the unhappy Consequences; the Notion of Passive Obedience having prov'd in a manner as fatal to those who have hearkned to it, as that of Apostolical Obedience formerly did.

Liberty gives the true Relish to all the Comfotrs of Life: without it, though a Man may possess much, he can enjoy nothing; to preserve it is the true Prerogative of a Prince. To defend the Liberty of a Nation when it is invaded, is the most Glorious thing upon Earth. And he that is such a Deliverer, has a Name above all other Titles: And who would change this Style for that of [Page 19] Conqueror? Which is the new Disguise Flattery has put on.

All Flattery carries with it a Tacit Affront to the weakness of that Person to whom it is address'd. But this is so gross, that it Affronts the common Sense of Mankind, and therefore if directed to a particular Per­son, presumes the last degree of weakness. You may as well be perswaded that Bread is Flesh, as that the Deliverance of a Nation is a Conquest of it.

For, (1.) Does not a Deliverance come from the Mercy, a Conquest from the Judgment of God? (2.) A Deliverance is wrought out with the Concur­rence of a People; a Conquest is gotten against a re­sisting Nation. (3.) The end of a Deliverance is Li­berty, of a Conquest Slavery. (4.) To deliver an Oppressed People is Heroical, to Conquer without pro­vocation is Brutal.

2. The second Evil Instrument which is apt to draw down God's Visitation upon a People is Faction; by which I mean a narrow, self-interested Spirit in those who would engross to themselves all the Favours of the Prince, and Advantages of the Government, in bart to all others, though as Faithful to their Soveraign, as Serviceable to his Government, and as Useful to the whole Community as themselves. Such a Faction as this first discourages, then provokes, and at last en­rages the rest of the Society. Where such a Spirit as this is suffer'd, Manasseh will be against Ephraim,Isa. 9.21. and Ephraim against Manasseh, and both together shall be against Judah.

I grant it absolutely necessary that every Govern­ment should distinguish the Persons to whose Hands they commit the Administration of Power; the Israe­lites had no reason to entrust themselves to the Phi­listines, because they own'd the Right of their old dis­possess'd King; and in this Confidence, as well as that of his great strength Goliah might defie Saul and his Host.2 Sam 19.43. But when the Men of Israel said, We have more right in David than Judah; no wonder that soon after we read, that The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. Nor was it strange what follow'd,2 Sam. 20.1,2. when Sheba the Son of Bichri blew a Trumpet, saying, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the Son of Jesse, every man to his Tents, O Israel. Here began that Fatal Faction which rent Israel from Judah; and for many Years after oc­casion'd Unnatural Wars between 'em, till at last it brought on the Captivity of both.

Besides this there is another kind of Faction which manifests it self (to use St. Paul's words) in Envy, strife, 1. Tim. 6.4. railings, evil surmisings, and perverse dispu­tings; whereby it falls out that an ill Construction shall be put upon those Actions which in their natural tendency are Innocent; an ill turn shall be given to a well-meant design; and if there shall be any slip, any real failure in the Administration, that shall be magni­fy'd by unjust Aggravations. No allowance is made for the Difficulties under which Princes labour, in Uni­ting Men of different Parties, different Principles, and different Interests, to contribute to the common Pre­servation: But Men sit down, and form Ideas to them­selves, which their Imaginations represent to them as perfect; and such as which all the World must con­cur [Page 21] in at the first proposing; whereas when any one part of these Notions comes to be put in Execution, if it be not utterly impracticable, yet the difficulties are next to being insuperable, and then the Prince is said to be weak, and knows not how to Govern; or he is Negligent, and delivers himself over to Pleasure; or he is Arbitrary in his Notions, and Affects Absolute Power, and all this without a due regard to the Cir­cumstances of the Times, and to the Necessity of Af­fairs; which perhaps if duly and equally weigh'd would not only Excuse the Prince, but would Merit the Thanks and Praise of those Men who are most for­ward to condemn, without considering how much the Government is weaken'd by these Murmurings, and the Honour and Reputation of it broken.

Such Murmurings as these bewilder'd the Israelites for Forty Years together, and delay'd their access to the Land of Canaan. 'Twas this made the Govern­ment lye so heavy upon Moses. The Burden which their frequent, and unnecessary Complaints laid upon their Prince was as heavy as what they had before born in Egypt; and had been insupportable by any other than the Meekest Man upon Earth. He was but For­ty days absent from them upon the Mount, and there too his Business was theirs, and was concern'd only in their behalf; but behold the Impatience of the People who Gathered themselves together unto Aaron,Exod. 32.1. and said unto him, Ʋp make us Gods which shall go before us, for as for this Moses who brought us up out of the Land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. Upon this Moses's anger waxed hot, ver. 9. so that he cast the Tables of the Law out of his Hand, and brake them beneath the Mount; and at last call'd out the Children of Levi, [Page 22] giving them Orders to fall upon the Murmurers; which were executed by the Slaughter of Three Thou­sand Men.ver. 27, 28.

No doubt but the unhappy Israelites of that Gene­ration saw their Errour, but 'twas then too late; the Fact was already committed which their Posterity to this day lament.

How far the Misfortunes of the Kingdom which we lament this day were owing to this Discontented Tem­per may be matter for your Reflection. Some unhap­py Occasions were given to complain, nay, even to grow importunate: But little did the Persons who be­gan those Complaints think what would be the end of those things, how far Disputes, and Heats, and Tu­mults, and War, would carry them. Little did they foresee the Cruel and Inexcuseable Sentence and Execu­tion, which is the Occasion of this Assembly. If they had once thought of such a thing, if they could have had a prospect of what has follow'd, how would they have detested even what was most innocently, and most excuseably done. And this may be sufficient Cau­tion for the future how we give way to any unreason­able Murmurings, because we know not (as St. James speaks) how great a matter a little fire kindleth. James 3.5.

Having now endeavour'd to find out those Distem­pers which have occasion'd the Ruin of Princes, and Woes of People, I crave leave by way of Application to recommend one Remedy which St. Paul has in these Cases prescrib'd; not doubting but that it will prove a certain Cure;1 Cor.10.24. 'tis this, Let no man seek his own, but every man anothers wealth. That is, Let no Man pur­sue his own, in barr to another's Interest; or, let no Party of Men appropriate a Common Interest to them­selves; [Page 23] the reason is, because we are all Members of the same Body, useful to the whole, and needful to each other;1 Cor. 12.21. so that if the Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee, nor again, the Head to the Feet, I have no need of you; ver. 26. 'tis but just that there should be no Schism in the Body, but that the Members should have the same care one for another.

Charity which envieth not, which seeketh not her own, 1 Cor. 13.4,5. as it is the Bond of Peace which joins all the Members of Christ's Mystical Body together, so is it the only cement, and strength of all Civil Societies; when Isaiah foretold the Triumphant state of Israel, he lays the Foundation of their future Grandeur in their Mu­tual Charity. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, Isa. 3.13. and the Adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

Where this Spirit of Charity rules, as there could be no Faction in the State, so would there be no Flattery in the Court. Of old the highest Compliments of Loyalty were form'd from the deepest Malice, wit­ness the Address of the Presidents, Governours, Princes, Counsellors, and Captains of Persia, to Darius their King, importing,Dan. 6.6, &c. That whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or Man for thirty days, save of thee, O King, shall be cast into the Den of Lions: And whence arose all this Flattery, but from the prepense Malice they bare to Daniel, Against whom they could find no occasion or fault concerning the Kingdom. ver. 4.

And as Charity obliges the Members in particular to seek each other's good, so it constrains them all to­gether to preserve their Head. From which all the Body by Joynts and Bands has nourishment minister'd, Col. 2.19. and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. [Page 24] A good King is such a Head to his People; so that they will also find their Interest inseparable from his. Such a one is the Life and Soul of the State be Governs. To Rebel against him is to Sin against our own Soul; to take from him any of his Rights and Prerogatives is for Children to Rob their Father of that Fund by which he maintains his Family; for an Army to Mutiny a­gainst those Orders by which their General secures them against the Enemy; or to corrupt that Judge who maintains us in our Rights; to withdraw Alle­giance from such a Soveraign, is for Sheep to stray from their Shepherd, for a Man to stop the Breath of his own Nostrils, or to forsake his God, whose great­est Glory is to do him the most important Good.