THis Booke of the Proverbs, The privi­ledges of the Proverbs in three things. as it hath the common Honour, with other sacred Scrip­tures, to be called Canonicall; so it hath some speciall Prerogatives above the rest, and that in a threefold respect.

1. In the Excellence 1. The Excel­lencies. and preheminence of the Sentences therein contained; being, for the most part, received principles or Canons of wisedome, acknowledged generally by all, especially by the wise. And for this cause they are called Proverbs. Look what Maximes are in Law, Axioms in Logick, Aphorismes in Physick, Apo­thegmes in historie or morality, such are these Proverbs in Di­vinity: the word [...] in the original, carries their Dig­nity in the very forehead. It comes from a roote that signi­fies to Rule, as a Lord or Prince. They are principes, or prin­pales sententiae, princely or principall sentences, not onely [Page 2] from their Authour King Salomon, chap. 1. 1. but also from their worth & authority, being, as I may so say, Lords and Com­manders of our Assent and Judgement, for their Authenticall and acknowledged veritie: that's the first.

2. In their Independance 2. Their In­depe [...]d [...]nce. usually one upon another; every verse almost, yea every Homistichium, or halfe verse, being a compleat Doctrine of it selfe, as Proverbs commonly are short, and full. In other Scriptures, a man must read many verses, sometimes at least, before he can make up the sense, or profitable instructions therein contained: but here he hath in two or three words, a full proposition, or Doctrine expo­sed to his view. In which respect, they may be compared, not so fitly to a Chaine of Gold, where each piece is linked to, and drawes on its fellow; as to a Chaine of precious Pearles, all put upon one string, having indeed, a kind of Contaction, (as I may say) but no necessary Connexion, or Cohaerence, one upon another. And that's the second.

3. In the mutuall Illumination, 3. Their Mu­tuall Illumi­nation. or Illustration one of ano­ther: Somtimes by way of short Comparison, by way of Si­militude, or Dissimilitude, in which respect every thing is (as they say) twise understood, though but once spoken, somtimes by way of Opposition, and contraries, we say, set one against another, do illustrate, and enlighten one another; As light and darkenesse in nature, white and blacke in co­lours, do make each other more notable or notorious: The verses, or halfe verses sometimes, being like unto two Can­dles, or torches, lighted and set up, which are seene, both by their owne, and by each others light. And that's the third.

All these are observable, and applyable to this present verse, and text of ours:2. Applyable to the text. First, it containes two Ancient and Au­thorised principles of wisedome, so full and cleere, that Na­turall men, have been able to see them; The one is this, That an ill man is an ill neighbour, acknowledged by a Heathen Poet, who said long agoe, The whole City, fares the worse, [...]. Hesiod. for one wicked man: He may seeme to have borrowed it from our Salomon, in our text. Scornefull men, bring a City into a snare, or set a whole City on fire: The other is [Page 3] this, That a good man is a common good: [...]. so said one of the Hea­thens wise men; whose candle Solomon seems to have ligh­ted in our Text when he said in opposition to the former, wise men turn away wrath. Secondly, they are two propositions, but independents, shining with their own native light: And yet thirdly, though they doe not need to borrow, yet they doe easily and willingly lend and affoord their assistance to illu­strate one another, as we shall the better see, if we take them, and consider them asunder by way of explication.3. The expli­cation of the words.

First, what is here meant by scornefull men. 1. Scornfull men, what. The words in the originall are [...] viri irrisionis, men of scorne; not passively, as scorned, but actively as scorners, or scorning. The words are very emphaticall, and with the Hebrewes (who know no degrees of comparison) carry the force of the superlative degree. The like phrase is used four times in this very Chapter; as a man of reproofes, ver. 1. that is, a man very of­ten reproved: a man of oblations or gifts, ver. 4. that is, a no­torious briber; men of blouds, vers. 10. that is, as we read it, bloud-thirsty men, men soakt in bloud, cruell bloudy men. And once more, a man of anger, vers. 22. that is, a most hasty and cholericke man. So here, men of scorne, is more then scorners, Psal. 1.1. (who yet, are there made the worst and highest degree of sinners, ungodly, sinners, scorners) for it implies the worst of scorners, and the highest degree of wickednesse. Not secret scorners as Mical was at first, who despised David in her heart; but open scorners, professed and proud scorners, that deride not only good men, and goodnesse, but the Messengers and Ministers of God (and in them, God himself) in their admonitions, reproofes or threat­nings (as those did, 2 Chron. 36.16.) being neare of kin to that man spoken of, vers. 1. A man of reproofes, or often re­proved, yet scorning all, and hardening his heart.

Secondly, what is meant by those words, Bring into a snare: 2. Bring into a snare. The word in the originall is [...], which is diversly rendered by Interpreters, as they suppose the root of it to be different. Some derive it from [...], which signifies a snare: Now a snare in Scripture signifies sometimes perplexities, or [Page 4] perplexing troubles. The ungodly is snared in the workes of his owne hands, Psal. 9.16. Sometimes some fearfull judgement of God. Ʋpon the ungodly he shall raine snares, fire and brim­stone, storme and tempest, this shall be the portion of their cup, Psal. 11.6. According to this sense of the word, the mea­ning is, that scornfull men do bring perplexities and troubles upon a place, and provoke God (by scorning reproofes &c.) to bring most fearfull judgements upon it. Some againe derive it from [...], which signifies to blow or puffe at: as Psal. 12.5. I will set him at rest from him that puffes at him: for so scornfull men use to expresse their scorne; or rather to blow at a coale, and so to set all on fire:Or set on fire. Scornfull men are flabella Diaboli the Divells bellows to blow the coals of sedi­tion, strife and contention till they set the City on fire, and so our margine expresses it; or to blow the coales of Gods wrath and fury, till he by his judgements (compared also to fire in Scripture, Psal. 11. Psal. 42. last) set all on a flame. The summe is, Scornfull men are mischievous instruments, both stirring up seditions and contentions amongst the people, and so ensnaring them with perplexities (as Demetrius the Silver-smith did at Ephesus Acts 19.) and also incensing the wrath of God against them, and so enfiring them with most fearfull judgements.

Thirdly, what is here meant by the City, 3. City what. the word is ta­ken either Metonymically, the subject for the adjunct, the City, for the Inhabitants of the City; or Synechdochically, the speciall for the generall; the City, that is, any place where those scornefull men live, the House, the Towne, the City, the Countrey, the Kingdome. Their mischiefe extends not to themselves alone, but to all about them; they are the common pestilences, and publicke enemies in the places where they live.

Fourthly, what is here to be understood by wise men: 4. Wise men, who. the word is good, and of great esteem. But perhaps some may question Solomons wisdome in the choice thereof, for ma­king an opposition to the former part (as the particle, But, implies) it may be demanded, how are wise men opposed to [Page 5] scornfull men. It seems more congruous, he should have said, Meeke or humble men turne away wrath; so the opposition had been fairer and clearer; or else, in the former part hee should have said, Foolish men bring a City into a snare, as di­rectly opposed to Wise men. True, but there is the more se­cret wisdome in this opposition, that the Spirit of God inten­ded we should take notice of: For it intimates unto us two things:

First, That scornfull and proud men, how ever they may thinke themselves wise, are indeed but fooles in Wisdomes account; and in our common speech we so stile them, when we say of a man of a scornfull carriage, he is a proud foole: Yea, in the language of the Scripture, all wicked men, (of which, scornfull men are chiefest, as we said afore) are fools and simple: Therefore as sometimes a scorner and a wicked man are Synonymas in Scripture, as Prov. 9.7. [He that re­proveth a scorner, getteth to himselfe shame, and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himselfe a blot.] He that in the first part is called a scorner, in the second part is called a wicked man, implying them to be convertible, every scorner is a wicked man; and every wicked man is a scorner: so a wicked man and a foole, are also one with the Spirit of God. Solomons fool (so often mentioned in this Booke, and elsewhere) is no better, no other then a wicked man: And that is the first.

Secondly, That wise men are meeke and humble men, and only meeke and humble men are wise: This the Spirit of God would have us to take notice of, by opposing wise men to proud and scornfull men. Therefore, it is worth observing also, that as proud men, and scornfull men, are parallels in Scripture, Prov. 21.24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath: and sometimes we heare, The proud have laid a snare for me, as here the scornfull; so wise men, and meeke men, are very neare a kin, or rather one and the same. So Saint James would have us under­stand, when he sayes, [Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you? let him shew out of a good conversation his workes with meeknesse of wisdome, Jam. 3.13.] And againe, [Page 6] vers. 17. [The wisdome which is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, &c.] By wise men therefore here, Solomon meanes meek and humble men, in speciall and generally all Good men, who are only wise; his wise man is the same with a good man, as his foole with a wicked man.

Fifthly, what is here meant by wrath; 5. Wrath, what, and what to turn it away. by wrath some understand the anger of men, as of a King, Whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lion, and he is a wise man that knowes how to allay it; or of a tumultuous and enraged multitude set on fire by scornfull men. Others understand it of the wrath of God, which wicked scorners have incensed, but onely wise men and good men know how to quench it. So that here is the cause put for the effects; the wrath of God for those snares and perplexities, those fires and judgements in­flicted on a people by the wrath of God. And there is a great deale of wisdome in the choise of this word, for it implies three things very considerable.

First, The prevention of judgements1. Prevention of judgements ready to fall upon a people (by the wickednesse of scornefull men) by taking away, or turning away wrath, the cause thereof. So Prov. 15.1. A soft answer pacifies wrath; the wrath of God or men.

2. The removall 2. Removall. of those judgements which are inflicted, when a City is ensnared or enfired, wise men, good men, are so prevalent with God, that they help to break those snares, and quench those fires, by turning away the wrath of God.

Thirdly, the procuring 3. Procuring blessings. of mercies and blessings upon the place, for here is a [...]; as they call it, lesse is said, but more is understood as the opposition doth fairly suggest: Scornfull men bring a City into a snare, or set a City on fire: That is, they deprive a Land of mercies and blessings first, and then helpe to bring on judgements: So wise men doe not only prevent and remove judgements, but procure bles­sings on the places where they live, the House, the Towne, the City, the Countrey, the Kingdome; which must the ra­ther be observed because in this latter part, the City is not mentioned but understood, [...], by the rule of inter­pretation: [Page 7] So the summe of all will be this, That wise men are common and publick Goods to the places where they live.

The words thus explained, will yeeld us many good ob­servations,4. The obser­vations some. we shall name some, but insist chiefly upon one.

First, That all scornfull men (as all wicked men, whereof these are the worst) how ever they thinke of themselves, or others of them, are no wiser then they should be: that is, are no better, no other then fooles in wisdomes account. It arises from the op­position of scornfull men and wise men.

Secondly, That only meek and humble men (as all good men) how ever the world accounts them simple, are truly wise. It ari­ses also from the opposition of wise men, and scornfull men, who are ever proud men, for scorne arises from pride, as hu­mility from wisdome.

Thirdly, That scornfull men (the worst of men) are publicke evills and mischiefes to the places where they live: And that two wayes:

1. Passively, as meriting and procuring the wrath and judgements of God upon these places.

2. Actively, as studying, plotting and endeavouring mis­chiefes to the places: They bring a City into a snare, and set a City on fire. In the first sense they are flagella Dei: In the second, flabella Diaboli.

Fourthly, That on the contrary, wise men (that is good men, for they are Synonyma's in Scripture) are publick Goods to the places where they live: And that also two wayes.

1. Passively, the places being blessed for their sakes.

2. Actively, as seeking, studying, endeavouring the publick Good, being men of publick spirits, preferring the publick Good, before their owne private interests.

But to handle all these particulars, as it is a little imperti­nent (some of them being only hinted, and not directly here intended) so it is as much impossible, considering that por­tion of time which is allowed me. I shall therefore draw out only the last generall conclusion, consisting of two par­ticular branches, taking sometimes notice of the opposite part, and the other considerations, for illustration, confirma­tion, [Page 8] or application, as shall be most expedient.

The generall Observation is this; Good men are publick Goods 5. The gene­rall Observation, Good men publicke goods. to the places where they live. That this is rightly collected, is evident to an observing eye by the former explication: This we shall endeavour to make good in both the branches be­fore propounded, both passively as God blesses the places for their sakes; and also actively, as they are men of publicke spirits, seeking principally the good of the Community.

First, Good men are publicke goods passively; God for their sakes blessing the Places,1. P [...]ssively, as blessings to the places. Family, Towne, City, Coun­try, Kingdome where they live. This is thus made good.

1. There are promises made unto them for this very pur­pose,1. This is promis [...]d. as to Abraham, Gen. 12.2.3. I will blesse thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will blesse them that blesse thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth bee blessed. To this may bee added that other conditionall promise to the same Abra­ham, Gen. 18.26. If I finde in Sodome fifty righteous within the City, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. Nay a lower condiscension we finde there: I will not destroy it for tennes sake. The same promise is made to Iob upon supposition of his repentance and turning to God. The innocent shall deliver the Island, and it is delivered by the purenesse of thine hands, Iob 22.30. The like or a yet lower condiscension we finde, Jer. 5.1. Runne ye too and fro through the streets of Ierusalem, and see, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can finde a man, (one man) if there be any that executeth iudgement and seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it. Adde but one more, and that is, Ezek 22.30. I sought for a man (but one man) among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none, therefore have I powred out mine indignation upon them, &c.

2.2. This is performed. We finde the performances of this promise in many in­stances. This was made good to Abraham in the preservati­on of his Nephew Lot and his family, Gen. 19.29. God remem­bred Abraham (that is, his prayer and pleading with God that he would not destroy the righteous with the wicked, [Page 9] Chap. 18.) and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow. Nay Lot himselfe had experience of this grace and favour, that as he preserved Zoar, so the City of Sodome, and the rest could not be destroyed so long as he was in it: See but the power he had with God: For the first, Lot did not directly petition for the sparing of that little City Zoar, but for his owne safety, yet God is pleased to spare it for his sake: Thus he sayes, See I have accepted thee concerning this, that I will not overthrow this City, for which thou hast spoken. For the second,Gen. 19.21.22. thus more strangely, Haste thee, escape thither, for I cannot doe any thing till thou come thither. Not only while Lot was in Sodome was it spared for his sake, but all the while he was going to Zoar, it was not destroyed. The Israelites had manifold experiences in this kind, in the wildernesse, where­in they provoked God forty yeares: Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turne away his wrath (the words of our Text) lest he should destroy them, Psal. 106.23. And so verse 29.30. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions, and the plague brake in upon them: Then stood up Phineas and executed judgement, and so the plague was stayed. These were examples of favour for prevention, or removall of judgements: Take some for procuring of Good: God blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs sake, Gen. 39.5. And the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had, in the house and in the field. And what a blessing he was to the whole land of Egypt, for a blessing of plenty for seven yeares together, is to be seen, Gen. 41.47. Saint Paul also was thus highly honoured, that he saved the lives of all that sailed with him in the ship, two hundred threescore and fifteen soules beside himselfe, Acts 27.24 Lo, sayes the Angell, God hath given thee all them that saile with thee. Insomuch, that he confidently tells them. There shall be no l [...]sse of any mans life among you, but of the Shippe, verse 22.

3. This was ever a knowne and confessed truth;3. This is confessed by all. both good and bad men have taken it for granted, That they shall fare the better for Good peoples sake. Hence it was [Page 10] that Bara [...] (a good, but a weake man) desired Deborah an holy Prophetesse, to goe with him to the warre, yea profes­sed he would not goe without her, Judg. 4.8. as placing both his safety and victory in her presence. And wicked Ahab solicites Jehoshaphat to goe to warre with him, as hoping to prosper the better for his sake. In a word, for this reason wicked men have so often desired the prayers of righteous men, as distrusting themselves, and trusting more to finde mercy for their sakes, then their owne.

4. The same is further confirmed by grounds of reason:4. This is grounded on Reasons. First, Good men, or Righteous men, are Gods Favourites, 1. Good men are Gods Favourites. so they are called in the Hebrew [...] his Saints we ren­der it, the word signifies, his Favourites, from the root [...] which signifies Mercy, and Favour; so his Saints are such as actually are mercifull, The Good man is mercifull and len­deth; but especially passively as received to the mercy or favour of God, (as the word [...] is used in Greeke, spo­ken of the blessed Virgin, Lu. 1.28. that is, graced with God, or highly favoured of God) They are Gods Favourites, I say, and therefore for their sakes much Good is done to o­thers that have any relation to them. Consider but what Eliphaz saies to Iob, perswading him to humble himselfe, and be acquainted with God, Iob 22.21. &c. and to turne unto him; he uses amongst others, this argument, vers. 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, & he shal hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be establi­shed unto thee, ver. 28. And last of all, (as before) The Island shall be delivered by the purenesse of thy hands, vers. 30. Such grace and favour shalt thou finde with God. It is very observable that the Psalmist hath delivered, Psal. 146.7.8. The Lord ex­ecuteth judgement for the oppressed, he giveth food to the hungry, the Lord looseth the prisoners, the Lord openeth the eyes of the blinde, the Lord raiseth them that are bowed downe. These are all common mercies to wicked men: but what will he doe for righteous men? Sure much more for them; yet marke what he addes instead of all: The Lord loveth the righteous: as if his love were better then all those before named, or [Page 11] rather because his love is the ground of all other favours, and because he loves them, he can deny them nothing for them­selves or others. So Psal. 5.12. The Lord blesseth the righte­ous; the Lord heareth the prayers of the righteous, &c. Inso­much, that when God is resolved to punish a People or Na­tion, he is faine to bid his Favourites not to pray for them, Ier. 14. and 15. Chap. Pray not for this people: Nay to in­treat them, not to intreat him, but to let him alone, that hee may destroy them, as he did to Moses. It is a very extraor­dinary case when such Favourites as Noah, Iob and Daniel, cannot deliver a Nation, but only their owne soules, Eze. 14.14. any ordinary favour they may procure for others, as well as for themselves.

Secondly, all Good things, as they are promised to,2. All good things are in­tended for them. so they are primarily, if not only intended for the Good; nothing for wicked men, but as by reason of their vicinity, and neare neighbourhood they fall upon them, because they cannot well be separated. All is yours, saies the Apostle to his Co­rinthian Saints, the world it selfe is yours, 1 Cor. 3. last. Our Saviour hath made a distribution of the whole world, Matth. 5. Heaven is given to the poore in spirit. Earth is bequeathed to the meeke: what then remaines for the proud and scornfull wicked men, but Hell, their proper inheritance? as it is said of Judas, that sonne or heire of perdition, that he was gone to his owne place, Act. 1.25. Now then, if wic­ked men have any thing, they have it for the godly mens sakes, because they are mixt together. As the Sunne shines upon the stony rocks, as well as upon the low valleyes; and the raine falls upon the barren mountaines, as well as upon the fruitfull medowes, but were intended only for the latter. The tares in the field receive and pertake of the dewes and shoures of heaven, but not for their owne, but for the corns sake. The Heathen man saw this truth by the twilight of nature; God, (saith he) provided all Good things for the Good, but they befall the evill men, because they cannot be separated. And it is better to profit or doe good to evill men for the Goods sake, then to bee wanting to the Good for evill mens sake. The world it [Page 12] selfe stands for the Elects sake; if their number were once made up, as the old world perished by water so soone as Noah and his family were housed in the Arke, so this pre­sent world should be destroyed with fire, 2 Pet. 3.

3. All judge­ments are pro­vided for wic­ked men.Thirdly, as all Good things are intended for the Good: so all judgements and punishments, are provided and prepa­red for the wicked, none for Good men, further then they communicate more or lesse, in the wickednesse of the places and times where they live. The whip is for the Asse, and the rod for the fooles backe, Prov. 26.3. Great plagues remaine for the ungodly, Psal. 32.10. Ʋpon the ungodly he shall raine snares, storme, and tempest, fire and brimstone, Psal, 11. Now then, because it is against justice to punish the Righteous with the wicked, or for wicked mens sake, Abraham pleads it so with God, Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? farre be that from thee; Shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right, Gen. 18 25. And God admits the plea as just and rea­sonable, as you may see, If I finde fifty righteous, I will spare all the place for their sakes. Either therefore God must separate the righteous from the wicked (as sometimes indeed hee does) or else he must destroy the righteous with the wicked, or for the wickeds sake, which is unjust; or else hee must spare the wicked for the righteous sake. And we have a kinde of a Proverbe common amongst us, It is better to save two Nocents, then to destroy one Innocent. The very tares (as was said) are spared for the wheats sake.

Fourthly, Good men are studious and active for the pub­licke Good,4. They are active for the publick Good (as we shall heare anon) as well as for their owne, yea above, and with neglect of their owne Good. They imploy all their parts, wisdome, strength, riches, inte­rests, for the Publicke Good; all their prayers and power with God to the Good of others. Now it is a wonderfull wel-pleasing thing to God to see men of his owne dispositi­on, to neglect themselves for Gods glory and his peoples Good, that he will, even for their sakes, stay or remove a judgement, and drop downe blessings upon others, and they perhaps wicked. As when Moses desired to be blotted [Page 13] out of Gods Booke, rather then Gods glory should suffer, or his people be destroyed; God takes it so well, that he spares a rebellious people for his sake. These reasons may serve for the confirmation:5. The Appli­tion, then. We now come to the application of it, before we proceed to the next.

1. Then on the contrary; wicked evill men,1. Wicked men are pub­lick evills. are publicke evills; they are not hurtfull onely to themselves, that is the least part of their Illnesse, but to the Places, Families, Townes, Cities, Countries, the whole Island or Kingdome where they live. One sinner destroyeth much good. Eccles. 9. last. and hinders much good, and brings much evill; brings an house, or City into a Snare, or sets them all on fire. One spark hath been the cause of the burning of a whole town: One Achan troubled and had like to have ruined a whole Armie. One and every wicked man is a curse, a pest, a viper to the place where he lives. A fruitfull land, he maketh barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein. Psal. 107.34. These, these are the men that violate the peace and happinesse of a Nati­on, that with-hold Good things from it: The Prophet Zach. 5. saw in a vision a flying rowle, written full of curses, with­out and within: And it shall enter (sayes the Lord) into the house of the theefe, and of him that sweareth falsely, &c. It is a wonder to me, that many families and townes, are not ru­in'd and destroyed, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein, so full of curses, and oathes, and blasphemies. No wonder there is so much trouble and perplexity in our Cities and Countries, and whole Kingdome, seeing wickednesse so much abounds n every place: But especially conside­ring, that our land is so full of scornefull men, Especially scornefull men. both secret and open. Secret scorners, that in their hearts, deride and despise, not onely Goodmen, but Goodnesse it selfe, and the power and practise of Godlinesse. Many perhaps, that make a faire shew of Religion, frequent the Assemblies, observe Fasts and daies of Humiliation, and yet in their hearts despise and deride all such Devotions, as either needlesse, or uselesse. Many o­pen scorners, that are professed mockers and flouters of Re­ligion, and them that desire to professe it, in the strictest and [Page 14] exactest way. Hypocriticall Mockers at Feasts, as Dauid calls them, the drunkards that made songs of him, and all that professe Godlinesse. Amongst these you may reckon your Stage-players, who had skoffed Religion, out of coun­tenance with many. You have done well, to put them downe, and shall do better if you keepe them downe. Adde to these, your pro­fane souldiers, who undertaking to fight for Religion, do as much scorne it and the professors of it, with names of re­proach, as any of the Cavaliers. Can we wonder to see our Cities and Countries so ensnared, and enfired; when all pla­ces are full of such skorners, as our text mentions? When one blesses and another curses, which will God heare? sayd a Wise­man. This mixture of so many scorners with some few wise men, in our Cities, in our Armies, makes things thus to hang in aequilibrio: Now we have a victory, then by and by a losse and defeat: God himselfe seemes to be doubtfull whether he should save us for some Good mens sake, or destroy us for these many scorners sake. Salvian complained of his times, and it is our case at this time. Si quis ex Nobilibus, &c. If any of the Nobility or Gentry begin to be Religious, he presently looses the Honour of his Nobility: Oh (sayes hee) what honour is there among Christian people, when Religion makes men vile? Oh shamefull and unsufferable wickednesse! It is not so with any Religion as it is with ours. In any Religion of Jews, Turkes, Papists, the more strict and exact, the more Ho­noured and esteemed: Only in the Protestant Religion, the stricter and preciser, the more scorned and despised. It was a very noble act, that of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3.29. I make a decree, that every people, nation and language which speake any thing amisse against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed­nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dung­hill, &c. I could wish, that our Law-makers, would provide a Statute, that it might be lawful for no man, with impunity, to deride and scorne Religion, or the strict profession of it: And there is good reason for it; For 1. Scornefull men bring a City into a snare, or set a City on fire. 2. Their punish­ment would be exemplary to others: Smite a Scorner and the [Page 15] simple will beware. Prov. 19.25. When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise. Prov. 21.11. And once more (as if it were a matter of great observance, and greater conse­quence:) Cast out the scorner, and contention shall goe out; yea strife and reproach shall cease. Prov. 22.10. Thirdly, and last­ly, Though every Good man be a publicke Good and bles­sing to the place, yet especially the heires of restraint, (as a Magistrate is described, Iudg. 18.27.) That is, publick per­sons if they be Good, are double blessings, as Good men, as Good Magistrates; such wise men especially turne away wrath: Review but those places before alleadged, Jer. 5.10. Runne too and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, — and see if you can finde a man, if there be any (one) that executeth judge­ment, and I will pardon it. And so of another, it is said, Then stood up Phineas and executed judgement, and so the plague was stayed, Psal. 106.30. I speake unto wise men, judge ye what I say. A word to the wise is enough.

2. It shewes the blessednesse of that Family, Towne, City,2. The bles­sednesse of places where any Good men. &c. that hath these Good and Righteous men amongst them, if they knew their happinesse. Many a judgement is prevented, many a blessing is procured, or continued for their sakes, when wicked men know not to whom they are beholding. These are the Towres and Castles: These are Walls and Bulwarkes: These are the Forts and Amunition: These are the Horse-men and Chariots of a Kingdome; and for their sakes, Townes and Cities are preserved. The So­domites were beholding to Lot for the welfare of their City, so long as he was in it, though they acknowledged it not. You know what was said of those two great and holy Pro­phets, Elija and Elisha; when Elijah was taken away in a fiery chariot, his servant and successour Elisha saw his strength and safety, and therefore cried out, My Father, my Father, the horsemen of Israel, and the chariots thereof. And a King wicked enough, said as much of Elisha, My Father, my Father, the horsemen of Israel and the chariots thereof, when he lay a dying. But Elisha's servant saw the reason of it, when an army of Souldiers beset the Towne of D [...]than, and [Page 16] thought to have taken Elisha, and plundered the towne; the servant cryes out, alas Master, we are undone: Elisha prayes, Lord open his eyes; and presently he saw the Moun­taine full of horses and Chariots of fire, round about Elisha. 2. Kings 6.17. One Elisha was a better guard then all the hosts of Israel. But I let that passe.

3. The folly and madnesse of the world, in 1. Imputing all evills to them.3. It shewes the foolish unthankfulnesse, and indeed the folly and madnesse of the wicked men of the world.

1. In imputing all their evills and miseries to Good men, as if they were the causes of all the troubles and cala­mities, that befall them. So they said of Paul and his com­panions, Act. 16.20. These men which are Jewes, trouble our City. So Tertullus the Oratour, elegantly and learnedly charges Paul, Act. 24.5. Certainely we have found this man, a pestilent fellow, (a pestilence, in the Originall) a mover of se­dition, among all the Jewes, throughout the world, &c. So Ahab, not onely accounts Elijah his owne enemy; but also charges him, with the miseries of the times; Art thou he that trou­bles Israel? No sayes he, It is thou and thy fathers house, in that you have forsaken the commandements of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 1. King. 18.18. So it was in the primi­tive times, the Christians were charged with all the calami­ties that fell upon them: So it is now; All these troubles and warres are caused by the Puritanes, &c. No, no, it is you that trouble England; your drunkennes and whoredomes, and blasphemies, &c. these are the troublers of England; you that are scornefull men, that scoffe and deride Godlinesse, and God himself; That despise his Ministers and mock at his Messen­gers, till there be no remedy. 2. Chr. 36.16. It was an hard case that Salomon tells of; Eccles. 9.14 15.16. A little City and few men in it, and a great King came against it, and compassed it about, and builded forts against it; And there was found therein a poore and wise man, and he delivered the City by his wisedome; but none remembred this poore man: Then said I, better is wisedome then strength; yet the wisedome of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard. That Good men should deliver the Iland, and be forgotten or despised, is a sad condition; but that they should [Page 17] be charged with the troubles and desolations of a King­dome, who are the preservers of it; this is most unrea­sonable.

2. But the madnesse and unthankfulnesse of the world appears more yet in persecuting & banishing Good men out of their houses, Towns, Countries, even out of the world,2. Persecu­ting the Good if they could. Foolish men and unthankfull: They are be­holding to them for all the Good they have; and doe they requite them thus? Is this your kindenesse to your friends? As was said to one, many good workes have they done for you, for which of them doe you persecute and banish them? Yea, but what madnesse is this to stop up the fountaines, at least the pipes, through which all the streames of blessings come? To pull away the props that uphold a Nation, the pillars that uphold the house from falling upon the heads of the owners: To drive the City of all the guards, and pull downe the Forts and Bulwarkes of defence, when an Ene­my comes to besiege it, this is little lesse then frenzie. The Sodomites did what they could to drive Lot out of their Ci­ty, who alone kept off that showre of fire and brimstone from them. As Sampson pulling downe the pillars, pulled the house upon his owne head: so doe these hasten their owne destruction. If all the Elect were once but gathered out of the world, it would soone be all on a flaming fire a­bout their eares. Banish but all godly men out of a City, Country, &c. and desolation will soone follow. And there­fore it is noted as a prognosticke and forerunner of ruine, to a place of Kingdome, when righteous men are taken away from the evill to come, Esay 57.1.

4. This is a ground of strong encouragement,4. Encou­ragement and comfort. and conso­lation, both in speciall to Good men, and generally to this Nation.

First, To Good and Godly men in speciall,1. To Good men them­selves. that they are thus highly favoured and graced by God, as to make them publick Goods, & Blessings to the places where they live. Joab tooke it as a great favour, that King David would conde­scend to gratifie him in a request for his owne son Absalom, [Page 18] 2 Sam. 14.22. By this I know that thy servant hath found favour in thy sight, in that the King hath fulfilled the request of his ser­vant. What an honour then is it for a poore sinfull man to have this favour with the King of Heaven, not only to grant the requests of his servants for themselves, but when they say nothing, even for their sakes to shew mercy unto others? What a strange piece of complement, or rather reall honour was it for God to say to Moses, as a man to his friend, Let me alone that I may destroy them, when Moses said nothing that we heare of? What an honour was it to Saint Paul, that without asking, God should give him the life of all the soules that sailed with him? If a man had but so much fa­vour with a King, it would make him proud, and scarce to know the ground he goes on: Why, such honour have all Gods Saints, even to the least of all Saints (as Paul of him­selfe) is this honour given that God can deny them nothing. Marke how Eliphaz applies it to Job in particular, Job 22.30. The innocent shall deliver the Island. True, might he say, but whats that to me? Therefore he addes, And it is delivered by the purenesse of thy hands. As if he should say, thou being innocent and pure, shalt have the same Favour, thou shalt de­liver not thy selfe only, but the Island. This is the Lords do­ing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

Secondly, To this Land and Nation 2. To this Land and Nation. of ours in generall, it is no lesse encouragement; That it shall not yet be totally destroyed, though the sinnes and sinners be many, though there be many scornfull men, that bring the Land and City into many snares, and have enkindled many fires; yet there are many wise men (blessed be the Grace of our God) that is many Good men, that doe helpe to turne away wrath: ma­ny faithfull Abrahams, many righteous Lots, many meeke Moses's, many holy Pauls, that intercede with God for the Land: If there were any sweet of comfort to be sucked out of the gall of bitternesse. I meane the wickednesse of an E­nemy, that their destruction hastens a pace, our Enemies are as desperately wicked, as we could desire them: But our comfort lies not in their wickednesse so much as in the [Page 19] Goodnesse of some of our owne, or rather in the Goodnesse and Grace of our God; who for their sakes uses to shew fa­vour to the places where they live. It is knowne well e­nough, what God would have done to a desperately wicked City, as any was at that time, yet if there had beene but fif­ty, nay but tenne righteous men in Sodome, for their sakes all had been spared. We trust we may safely say, and with­out any arrogance, there are many fifties, many ten thousands in this our Land, that never bowed the knee to Baal, that crie night and day to God that the Island may be delivered. Suffer us, O Father of mercies, to plead an argument of thine owne framing, as Abraham did for Sodome, wee are bad e­nough, perhaps as bad or worse then Sodome, yet suffer us ho­ly God, to speake but this once; Wilt thou destroy the righte­ous with the wicked? Be it farre from thee from doing this thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be even as the wicked, be it farre from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the world doe right? Gen. 18.23.25. Upon this ground we beleeve, though we may have a sharp storm, yet it will blow over againe. God never yet (and will he beginne now?) destroyed an humbling, fasting, praying, reforming Nation. Those Innocents, righteous men, we hope, shall deliver the Island: Even so, Amen.

5. This may serve for a ground of Exhortation,5. Exhorta­tion. and that branches it selfe two wayes, to the wicked, and to the Good:

1. To the wicked world, and that in a double respect:1. To wic­ked men. 1. To the Good. First, to cease from evill, and to learn to do well, to labour to become Good & righteous men, even for this reason, that as now they are curses and mischiefes to the places where they live, as well as to themselves, and are branded with this ignominious title of Incendiaries of the Kingdome; so being Good, they may be honoured as blessings and publicke Goods. This argument Eliphaz presses Job withall, Job 22.30. after many other encouragements; Acquaint thy selfe now with the Lord, &c. why? because then, thou shalt pray unto him and he shall heare thee, vers. 27. And last of all, thou shalt [Page 20] be honoured as the Deliverer of the Island: The innocent shall deliver the Island, and it is delivered by the purenesse of (thy) hands. The like argument the Lord himselfe urges upon a for­mall faster, Esay 58. that he would fast to purpose, by fa­sting from sinne and wickednesse, and beginne to be righte­ous and mercifull, Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse, to undoe the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed goe free, and that ye breake every yoke? Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry, &c. Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer, &c. And after all, thus he concludes to our present purpose, vers. 12. And they that shall be of thee, shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in. That is, thou shalt be honoured and renowned in present and future times, as a man that hath been a publicke Good and a blessing to the places where thou livedst: Thats the first.

2 To love and make much of those that are Good.2. If we cannot perswade scornfull men to be Good them­selves, yet let them be perswaded for their owne sakes, to make much of those that are Good and righteous: love them and honour them, if not for Goodnesse sake, yet for your own Goods sake; you are beholding to them for all the Good you have and doe enjoy next under God. The Prophet advises the people going into Captivity, that they would seeke the peace of that wicked City (Babylon) and pray unto the Lord for it, for (saies he) in the peace thereof shall ye have peace, Jer. 29.7. And you make much of a bad servant, because he is profi­table and beneficiall to you; how much more of those that never did you hurt, that constantly doe you Good; preven­ting judgements and procuring mercies, your very life and livelihood, and all your welfare depends upon it. I leave it to your consideration; and come,

2. To Good men.Secondly, to speake a word of exhortation to Good men that they would be Good still, and improve all their interest in [Page 21] God in these troublesome and calamitous times for the pub­licke Good: First, to be Good still,1 To b [...]e Good, and better still. and more Good as there is more need and use for the publicke Good: He that is holy, let him be holy still, and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still. The better man the greater Good. As we see it is the policie of children, when they have any sute or request to promote, they are commonly double diligent to insinuate themselves in­to our affections and favour. It was Esthers wisdom to ingra­tiate herself with King Abashuerosh, when she had a very great request to make unto him; she first invites him to a banquet to sweeten his affections to her, insomuch that he askes her that intended to aske him, What wilt thou Queen Esther, what is thy request, and it shall be granted thee to the halfe of the King­dome, Esth. 5.3. But she hath not yet enough hold of his affe­ctions, therefore she desires only that the King would come to the banquet which she had prepared for him; at which time the King makes the same demand, What is thy petition, &c. but yet she forbeares, as intending to ingratiate herselfe more with him; thereupon she renewes her former request, that he would come next day to another banquet, and then supposing herselfe endeered to him, out comes her great re­quest, Chap. 7.3. If I have found favour in thy sight, O King, and if it please thee King, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. It is worth our imitation in such times of distresse, when our lives and lands lye at stake, to make our way with God, by more exact observance of him, to indeere our selves unto him, that so for our sakes, not only our owne lives, but our Island may be granted at our requests. Secondly, to improve all the interests they have in God,2. To im­prove their in­terest in God. and all their grace and favour with him (which we have heard is much) for the publicke Good: The King of Heaven can deny you nothing: To what purpose is this Grace and Priviledge with God, if we make not use of it as Abraham did? The whole Kingdome and Church of God cries to you as to our Saviour, If thou canst do any thing, come & help us? Ply God with prayers and tears, and be importunate, yea in a holy manner impudent, till he make this our Land the praise and [Page 22] glory of all the earth. In a word, imploy your parts and abili­ties for the publicke Good, which is done by getting publick Spirits: But that leads me to the second branch of my gene­rall Observation, to that I now come: And that is this, Good men are publicke Goods actively: That is, they are men of publicke Spirits,2. Branch: Good men are publick Goods actively. This is preferring the Publicke before their own private Good. That this is rightly collected, I referre to the explication of the words, and proceed to the confir­mation.

1. Com­manded.1. This is Commanded in the Scriptures, as the duty of e­very Christian: Let us do good to all, especially to the houshold of faith. Gal. 6.10. By love serve one another, Gal. 5.13. Let no man seeke his owne things, but every man anothers wealth, or welfare. 1. Cor. 10.24.

2. This is Commended 2. Com­mended by instances. by the Spirit of God in Scripture, to have been the practise of all Good men: we observe some memorable instances. And we beginne with Moses, 1. Of Moses. who spent himself in the publick affaires of the people, in judge­ing all causes brought before him, till Jethro his Father in lawe gave him wise counsell. Exod. 18.17.18. The things which thou doest is not well, thou wilt surely weare away, (thou wilt faint and fall) and all this people with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to doe it thy selfe alone. And when God offered him one of the greatest offers that ever was made to a mortall man, to bribe him (that I may so say) and to take him off from seeking and entreating for the Good of his people, he utterly refused it, Exod. 32.9, 10, 11, &c. The Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and be­hold it is a stiffenecked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may waxe hot against them, and consume them, and I will make of thee a mighty people. But Moses prayed unto the Lord his God, &c. And another time, when the Lord seemed resolved to destroy that people, he ventures not only his life but his soule between them and the wrath of God: If thou wilt pardon this people, well; if not, blot me out of thy Book, &c. The like we may observe in David, 2. Of David. He fed the people with a true heart, and ruled them prudently with all his power, Psal. 7, 72. [Page 23] And as if the spirit of Moses had been upon him, he exposes himselfe to the sword of the destroying Angel to stay it from the people, 2 Sam. 24.17, Behold I have sinned, yea I have done wickedly, (takes all the fault upon himselfe, and all the punishment too) but these sheep what have they done? Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house. This is the commendation of that Good man Jehojada 3. Of Jeho­jada. 2 Chron. 24.16. the high Priest, and the Epitaph upon his grave, made by the Spirit of God, They buried him in the City of David amongst the Kings, because he had done good in Israell both towards God, and towards his house. Mordecai also was a man of the like spirit, whose life and story is concluded with this Elegie, He was next un­to the King, and great among the Jewes, and accepted of the mul­titude of his brethren. There is his Greatnesse, his Goodnesse followes, Seeking the wealth of the people, and speaking peace to all his people, Esth. 10.3. But most memorable is the instance of that Good and Great man Nehemiah, 4 Of Nehe­miah. who living in the fa­vour of a King, and in all pleasures of a Court, yet en­joyed not himselfe, whilest he understood the miseries of his people, and the Desolations of the house of God, and of his City, as in Nehem. 1. and 2. Chapters, may easily appeare. But the discovery of his publick spirit, with neglect of all pri­vate interests, is most remarkeable, Nehem. 5.14. Twelve yeares together; from the twentieth yeare, even unto the two and thirtieth of King Artaxerxes, that is, twelve yeares. I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governour. For the for­mer Governours that were before me, had been chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver, yea, and their servants bare rule over the people, (as great mens servants use to doe) but so did not I, because of the feare of God. But then, it may be, as he had nothing, so hee did nothing, but only oversee the people: For that, see what follows, verse 16. Yet also I continued in the worke of this wall, —and all my servants were gathered thither unto the worke. That is, though neither I nor my servants had any allowance, yet we were as active and diligent in the maine worke, as they that tooke wages for their worke. But perhaps hee [Page 24] had a great estate or revenue of his owne, and improved that to his owne best advantage: There were many poor Jews that were glad for necessity, to sell their inheritances, and so he made good bargaines for himselfe by buying land at the cheapest rate: No, sayes he, We bought no land, as some o­thers did: And lest any man should thinke, though he did not get by the publicke calamities, yet he might save his owne estate, by living privately, and below his estate, and the dignity of a Governour; he addes, Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the (poore) Jewes and Ru­lers, besides those that came unto us from among the Heathen that are about us, verse 17. His charge and expences is set downe in the 18. verse to be very great; Yet for all this required not I the bread of the Governour, because the bondage was great upon this people. All these considered, you will hard­ly finde a man of so publicke a spirit in all the Scripture. On­ly one we finde in the new Testament, that comes some­thing neare him in spirituall respects, and that is Saint Paul, 5. Of Paul. first he sayes, he had upon him the care of all the Chur­ches. Secondly, he laboured more then all the Apostles, spared no paines, feared no dangers, ran through many per­plexities and hazards, by sea and land, by brethren and stran­gers, &c. Thirdly, though he might have beene chargeable as an Apostle of Christ, and had power to eat and drinke, and to carry about a sister, a wife, as other Apostles did; yet he used not this power, but preached the Gospell freely; and lest he might be chargeable, he wrought with his own hands to supply his necessities; and as he sought not his owne profit, but the profit of many, that they might be sa­ved, 1 Cor. 10. last; so spent himselfe in the publicke ser­vice, venturing his owne life for the Good of the Church: I count not my life deare to me, so that I may finish my course with joy, Act. 20.24. Yea (saies he) and if I be offered (powred forth as a drinke offering [...]) upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoyce with you all, Phil. 2.17. And (to omit many things of like kinde) that there might be an ex­ample and instance of one under the New Testament, not [Page 25] inferiour to the highest in the Old, heare what he saies like another Moses, if not beyond him) I have great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart; For I could wish that my selfe were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, Rom. 9.2, 3. We need say no more, we have given instances of all sorts, Kings, Priests, Magistrates, Ministers, of eminently publicke spirits, to make good our assertion, That Good men are publicke Goods Actively, as well as Passively: That is, men of publicke spirits, active for the publick Good, though passive in neglect of themselves. Doe but take the Reasons3. Grounded on Good Rea­sons. of it, and we shall hasten to the Application.

1. Good men are made partakers of the divine Nature,1. They par­take of the di­vine Nature. 2 Pet. 1.4. and so made conformable to God, their heaven­ly Father, and to Christ their Head. The Proverb is, A Good the more common it is, the better it is: we may invert it, The better any thing is, the more communicative it is of it selfe; God himselfe, the best and greatest Good, communicates himselfe to all his creatures, with no respect of any profit to himselfe. The eyes of all things wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their meat in due season, Psal. 145.15. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest with thy blessing every living thing. Thou art Good, and doest Good, Psal. 119.68. The Lord is Good to all, and his mercy is over all his workes, Psal. 145.9. He makes his Sunne to shine upon the Good and the bad, and his raine to fall upon the just and unjust. The Lord Jesus also is called the common Salvation, Jude verse 3. He went about doing Good, and healing every disease. He gave himselfe for all his sheep and wholly for every one: Who loved me and gave himselfe for me, saies Paul, as if he had loved and dyed for none but him: O bone Jesu, &c. as that Father in a sweet meditation, and Soliloquie of his, O sweet Saviour Jesus, who takest care for all of us, as if we were but one man, and so for every one, as for all? Christ pleased not himselfe, sought not his owne profit, his owne glory, but the salvation of his people. Let the same minde be in you, that was in Christ Jesus, Phil. 2.5. And so it is in some proportion; the same nature, the same mind, and so followers of God as deare children, and of Christ their [Page 26] Head, and so communicative of their Goodnesse to others: The ground of this in God, is his Al-sufficiency partly, hee needs not the Good of any creature, and partly his Great Goodnesse, whereof he is so full, that as the Sea empties it selfe into the springs and rivers, so doth he communicate his Goodnes to the creatures. Good men then being made parta­kers of the Al-sufficient and Good God, are like him in this, to seeke the publicke Good, with neglect of themselves: and thats the first.

2. Grace en­larges the heart.2. Grace and Goodnesse enlarges the heart, and hand, and all: So the Apostle, 2 Cor. 6.11, 12, 13. O ye Corinthi­ans, our mouth is opened to you, our heart is enlarged; ye are not straitned in us, but ye are straitned in your owne bowels: Bee ye also enlarged. As if he should say, it is your fault that you have no more benefit by us; you are not capable of what we are able and willing to give: And so to his Thessalonians, 1. Thes. 2.8. Being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted to you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our owne soules, because ye were deare unto us. It is observable, that is noted of those first converts, who were before strait-hearted and strait-handed, but when once made partakers of the Grace of God, how much they were enlarged, Nei­ther was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were possessours of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold: And laid them downe at the Apostles feet, and distribution was made to every man, according as he had need, Act. 4.34, 35. And before that, Act. 2.44. All that beleeved were together, and had all things common. Omnia in­discreta apud nos praeter uxores, said Tertullian of his times, All things with us, are common, except wives.

3. Grace sets up another end.3. Grace alters and sets up another End in a man, that is Gods Glory in the publicke Good, for therein is Gods Glory most conspicuous. Our ends are private in Nature, we are our owne Alpha and Omega; our selves are beginning and ending to our owne selves, our owne god, selfish in all, as they say; Self-ends, Self-profit, Self-honour, &c. Now the first Lesson in the Schoole of Christ is, Self-deniall, let him [Page 27] deny himselfe, his owne reason, his owne will, his owne affections, his owne ends. Marke what a new End the A­postle sets up, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever you doe, doe all to the glory of God: And then, that you may see he meanes the Glory of God in the publicke Good; he addes in the last verse, Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine owne profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved. A naturall man called out to publicke ser­vices, is ready to plead his owne private interests: as the trees did in Jothams parable, Judg. 9.9. Should I leave my fatnesse saies the Olive tree: Should I leave my sweetnesse, saies the Fig tree, or I leave my wine saies the Vine, to be promoted over the trees. The words rendered to be promoted over the trees, are significant in the Hebrew, to goe up and downe for (other) trees? That is, Shall I neglect my selfe, my owne profit, my owne honour, my owne pleasure, to runne up and downe (as a Ma­gistrate or a publicke person must) to doe others service? It is a common and received Proverbe in nature, proximus ego­met mihi, I am my owne next neighbour: and that is another much alike, Charity begins at home. And a third is as com­mon, Every man for himselfe, and God (only) for all. Thus indeed speaks nature, but Grace clean otherwise, as you have heard; we are Selfe-ends, and Selfe-gods, in nature; In Grace, Homo homini Deus, every man is a God to another: that's a third.

4. A Good man is made a member of the body mysticall:4. They are members of the body my­sticall. Now as it is in nature, every member of the body naturall, serves not it selfe alone, but is a servant to the whole body; The eye sees, not for it selfe (sees not it selfe) but for the whole body, the hand workes not, the foot moves not for it selfe, but for the whole body: So it should be in the body politicall, so it is in the body mysticall, every member is ser­viceable to the community: More might be added, but these shall suffice for the present, and so we come to Ap­plication.4. Applied.

1. The first Use shall be for Discovery (and this is a time of great Discoveries) of bad and naughty hearts.1. For disco­very of bad hearts. Before wee [Page 28] come to particulars, we may justly take up the complaint of the Psalmist, Psal. 12.1. Helpe Lord, for there is not a Godly man left, the faithfull are minished from among the sonnes of men. That is, if we look upon the generality of men, there will be but a few Good men be found: we may make the Discovery by these two things: 1. That many have publicke spirits in­deed but for publicke mischiefes: 2. That many have private spi­rits in publick causes: we will note some particu [...]ars briefly.

1. Publick mis­chiefes, as1. There are many, that have Publick Spirits, not for the publick Good, but for publick evill, to the places where they live, just like the bramble in Jothams parable, Judg. 9.14.15. chosen to raigne over the trees, who did scratch and catch all for it selfe. Publico malo nati: as if they were borne for publick mischiefe; like Paris, whose mother Hecuba dream'd, when she was with child of him, that she was delivered of a burning firebrand; and so he proved to his Country, if sto­ries say true; For through his meanes, the City Troy, was set on fire, and the Country ruined. Such firebrands, there are many now to be found, who have set this (as well as other) Kingdomes on fire, or brought Townes, Cities, Countries, into a snare, as our text speakes: we note some.

1. Papists and Jesuites.1. As first, Papists, home-borne Papists, who are the vipers that most unnaturally have endeavoured to eate through their mothers bowels. Not their nature onely, but their Religion also, teaches and allowes them for the Good of the Catholike cause, falsely so called, not to spare their owne native Country, their owne kindred, Brothers, Fathers, no not of their own Religion, if it be for the publick Good, of their false Religion. To blow up Parliaments, to ruine Cities, Countries, Kingdomes, is their ordinary worke. Especially of those, whom they call Jesuites, the Bellowes of Hell, the Incendiaries of Christendome, at this day. The Curse of God is upon them fearefully for arrogating their Name from Jesus, which signifies a Saviour, and is impropriated to the Sonne of God: Thou shalt call his name Jesus. These men, that call themselves Jesuites, are, by the just judgement of God upon them, the Destroyers of Cities, Countries, [Page 29] Kingdomes, and might farre better take their name from him, who is called in Hebrew Abaddon, and in Greeke Apolluon, but signifying a Destroyer. Revel. 9.11.

2. Next to these, are those, (prophesied to fall into these last and worst times: 2. Tim. 3.) whom the Apostle calls Traitours.2. Traitours to their Country. In the last dayes shall come perillous times, for men shall be lovers of themselves, Proud, boasters, Traytors: Not only be­traying the publike trust, but even their owne Countries and Kingdomes. Wofull experience have these our sad times, of these publick mischiefes: who have forsaken their faith, betrai [...]d the charges wherwith they were entrusted, and with them, as much as in them laye, betrayed their Religion, Laws, Liberties, and which is most unnaturall, themselves, and their Posterities to perpetuall miserie.

3. Adde to these, those of our text, proud, scornfull men,3. Seditious [...]piri s. who by stirring up Seditions, and strife, in Townes and Cities, have set all places almost on fire: Onely by pride men make con­tention: Prov. 13.10. Cast out the scorner, and contention shall goe out: Prov. 22.10. Yea strife and reproach shall cease. Such an one was that Silver-smith Demetrius, Acts 19. who un­der a pretence of defence of religion, (but indeed for his own gaine) set all the City of Ephesus on an uproare. Such ano­ther was Achitophel, who adoring the rising Sunne, fomented that Sedition and Rebellion of Absalom, out of his owne Ambition, to ingratiate, and advance himselfe, with that yong Prince. All times, & especially these of ours, have exemplified these Incendiaries; the pride and scorn of some, have stirred up so much contention, and kindled so great a flame, that all the Wise men; of the Kingdome know not well how to quench it.

4. Amongst these may be reckoned, a multitude of men who are Publick enemies to the State and Kingdome: As first, Oppressours, and Depopulators, 4. Oppres­sours, Depopu­lators, &c. who do not, as they of old, in the Prophet, adde house to house, or town to town, but pull down house after house, and towne after towne, till there be no place, for a poore man to dwell neere them, till at last they pull downe their owne houses, and destroy their owne families, that their place cannot be found. So that the pro­pheticall [Page 30] curse is now made good upon many of them; There­fore thus saith the Lord, many houses great and faire shall be left desolate without an inhabitant, Isay. 5.9. Such are the Pro­jectors, the Monopolists of later times, who under pretence of Publick Good, have enriched themselves, with the spoiles of the Commonwealth: These and such like, are the Catter­pillers and locusts of the places and Countries where they live; and as the Father said of Ingrossers of corne that made a famine in plentie, mercatores humanarum cala­mitatum, the Merchants of humane miseries and calamities. In a word, all Polititians that drive their owne designes, at the publick charges in publick places of imployment; Men, like that unjust Steward in the Gospell, who being entrusted with the publick Treasure, for an hundred write down fourescore, perhaps but fifty; diverting the publick stocke into their owne purses, to make themselves rich, in the pub­lick poverty of the State. This is, as if a man in a ship, in a storme, when all is like to be cast away, should gather all the wealth of the ship into his owne cabine; or as if the stomack a publick officer in the body natural, should keep all the meat to it selfe, and starve the whole body. Well fare yet that Noble spirited Nehemiah, we spake of before, that was so farre from eating the bread of the people, That he did not eate the bread of the Governour; because the bondage was great up­on the people. Nehem. 5.17.18. Well fare also those just Stew­ards, those faithfull and honest Treasurers, entrusted with the publick stock; 2. King. 12.15. and 22.7. They reckoned not with the men, into whose hands they delivered the mony, to bee bestowed on workemen, for they dealt faithfully.

2. Private▪ Spirits.2. As there are many evill publick spirits; so also many private evill spirits, in the publick causes of God and the State: (Not to speake of Idle persons, our lazie Gallants, in times of peace, that conferre nothing to the publick Good, by any publick usefull imployment, as all creatures in the world doe, besides themselves,) We may take up the com­plaint of the Apostle, Phil. 2.21. All seeke their owne, and not the things of Jesus Christ: And we may see his prophesie [Page 31] fulfilled. 2 Tim. 3.1.2. In the last dayes shall come perilous times, For men shall be lovers of their owne selves: why were not men ever Lovers of themselves? Is it any such great fault or dan­gerous for men to love themselves? Is it not naturall for charity to begin at home? True, but the Apostle means, that in the last times, men shal be Lovers of themselves, so that they shal Love no body else, not their owne posterity, not their owne Country; and therefore it followes in a few words after, men shall be Lovers of themselves— [...], without naturall affection: So they may but save themselves and sleepe in a whole skin, let posterity take care for it selfe, let the com­munity sinke or swimme, they care not. Of this sort are all Newters, and at best unwilling contributers, to the publicke causes of God and his people, either with their estates or persons. First, for estates, men of a covetous churlish disposi­tion like Nabal, who when David sent messengers to him for some reliefe and refreshment of himselfe and his souldi­ers, who were a protection to his cattell and servants, re­turned this dogged answer, Shall I take my bread and my wa­ter and my flesh, provided for the shearers of my sheep, and give it to men I know not from whence they are? There be many servants now adaies, that break away from their masters, &c. 1 Sam. 25. Shall I leave my fatnesse sayes the Olive? my sweetnesse, sayes the Figtree, &c. to go to be promoted over the trees? Shall I leave my profit, my honour, my pleasure, for other mens sakes? Marke (I pray) what a scornfull answer the men of Succoth and Penuel gave to Gideon that fought for them, when he spake to them for some reliefe for his fainting fol­lowers,Judg. 8.5, 6. Give I pray you loves of bread unto the people that are faint. They answer him with a flout & a jeer, Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna, now in thine hands, that thou sayest, Give bread, &c. How many are there that in this great and publick Cause now in agitation, have never yet contributed any thing, (willingly) but ill words, mocks and jeers, though they have enjoyed the benefit of publicke safety, they and theirs? To whom it may be said, as David of Nabal, In vaine have I kept all that this fellow had in the wildernesse, &c. [Page 32] 1 Sam. 25.21. These men perhaps, some of them, wish all were well, but lend not the least assistance that all may bee well: Sit still, and live to themselves, and enjoy their owne estates; even this discovers men to be Naught, because they have such narrow, such private spirits in publicke Causes. Let Laws and Liberties and Religion stand or fall, so they may but have peace upon any conditions, so it cost them nothing. And so for their persons to be engaged in the publick service, how few are there that offer themselves willingly to the worke? Men strive not who shall goe, but who shall not goe to the warres; what shuffling to avoid it when called forth? what starting backe, what running away, when a­ny danger appears? what Apologies and excuses for them­selves. It hath it seems been the fashion of former times as well as this? See but an Instance in Judg. 5 14, 15, 16. where Deborah first discovers the Voluntiers, Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee Benjamin among thy people out of Machir came down Governours, out of Zebulon they that handle the pen of the writer. And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah: even Issachar and also Barak, he was sent on foot into the valley: But then there were many Newters of other Tribes, For the divisions of Ruben were great searchings of heart. Great searchings of heart? for what? to finde excuses and pretences for their Newtrality and Cowardlynesse: So it followes, verse 16. Why abodest thou (Ruben) amongst the sheepfolds, to heare the bleatings of the flocks? for the divisions of Ruben, there were great searchings of heart. Gilead abode beyond Iordan, and why did Dan abide in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. The meaning (as I con­ceive) may be this, when these tribes should have gone free­ly to the warres, after Deborah and Barac, they tarried all at home, and had great searchings of heart how to answer it, if objected against them: Some, they had flocks of sheep to look to; some could not get over Jordan; some were in their ships of merchandise; some repairing their breaches, &c. thus they framed their excuses, some had one impediment, some another. Just the case of these times, in the publicke [Page 33] cause of Religion, &c. some have land to plow; some have harvest to get home; some have a wife to please; some have houses and flocks to guard or secure, which will be plunde­ [...]ed if they appeare in the quarrell; some are poore, and have wife and children to maintaine: For the divisions of England, there are great searchings of heart. These all dis­cover their private spirits, and little Good hearts. But mark what followes, Zebulon and Naphtali were a people that jeopar­ded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field, verse 18. and so shewed themselves, both Good men and Good patriots. And this may serve for the first Use of Discovery.

2. The second is for direction, in our choice of fit Instru­ments for publicke places and imployments.2. Use: For direction in choice of pub­lick Instru­ments. Chuse a man of a Publicke spirit; that is to say, chuse a Good man, and one that is truly Religious, for such onely are men of publicke spirits, for the publicke Good. For example, First, in choice of a Minister, a publicke person; (a businesse of great and common concernment in these times) If you would chuse one that shal be faithfull & constant to you, chuse not a man of a narrow or private spirit: one that is either covetous, or ambitious, or voluptuous, that seekes himselfe and his own ends, and not the things of Jesus Christ: such an one will seeke yours, not you; and when he hath found what he seeks, will but a little care for the flock. Amongst other qualificati­ons of a Minister, the Apostle requires, that he be not Co­vetous given to filthy lucre, not given to wine, not voluptuous: A Good man onely will make a Good Minister: as it is said of Barnabas, He was a Good man, and full of the holy Ghost and of faith, and much people was added to the Lord, Act. 11.24. A Good Minister is a good light, a lampe, a candle that spends himselfe in giving light to others, whereas a snuffe burnes and lights only within its owne socket, but is darke and stinking to others round about him. In a word, a Good Minister is like that Good Shepheard that layes downe his life for his sheep. Secondly, it may give us direction also in choice of publicke Officers, Magistrates, Commanders, Knights of the Shire, and Burgesses of Parliament, if ever we [Page 34] live to another election, to seeke out and chuse men of pub­licke spirits; who are they? you will say: why (say the world what they please) they are Good men, truly Godly men; they will be constant and faithfull in their entrustments, they will live and dye for you, and with you: All other men will warpe and start aside like a deceitfull bow, will be cor­rupted or wrought like wax to take any impression of his owne or others designes. Experience hath taught us some­thing in this particular: In these great divisions of this state, what discoveries have been made of false & faithlesse hearts? In our great Senate, in our Armies, in all publick services: what strange discoveries have beene made of those perhaps, whom wee little suspected. They say in politicks, A man may be an ill man, yet a Good Citizen. I am sure it is false in Divinity. He that is an ill man, can no more be a Good pa­triot, a Good Commonwealths man, then evill can be Good. He may perhaps be seemingly Good in times of peace, when no divisions, no temptations: but no man will be constantly faithfull, but he that is a man of a publicke spirit, and no man but a Good man hath a publicke spirit. Let it be a war­ning to us for the present, and for the future, in choice of a­ny publick Instruments; if we be againe deceived, we may thanke our selves. All, or a great part of these present di­stractions of our state arise from hence, that men in publicke places have private spirits, private ends and aimes with neg­lect of the publicke.

3. Uset double honour due to men of pub­lick spirits.3. This may informe us, what Honour and estimation is due to Good men, men of publicke spirits, that neglect them­selves for the publicke Good, their owne profit, pleasure, Ho­nour. Truly, what the Apostle speakes of laborious and painfull Ministers, That the Elders that rule well, are worthy or to be accounted worthy of double Honour, especially they that la­bour in the word and doctrine, is fairly by proportion, to be applyed to all publicke Instruments of publicke spirits. Men of private places, with publick spirits, are worthy of double honour, especially those who being imployed in publick ser­vices, doe labour, and even spend themselves, and what they [Page 35] have for the Good and welfare of the Community. And what is that double honour? Countenance and mainte­nance, say some: A lampe or candle that consumes it self to give others light (as every faithfull Minister doth) deserves to be set, not under a bed or a bushell, but upon a Table, as our Saviour speakes; there's his Honour of Countenance, and to be plentifully supplyed with oyle, to preserve it selfe for the common Good, there's the Honour of Maintenance. The like is due to the Magistrate, that is imployed in the publicke services of the State; and to the Souldier that jeopards his life in the high places of the field, to preserve the lives of thousands. It is an odious and ignominious shame, that we should chuse men to imploy in our publicke and common Concernments, spirituall or temporall, (who must leave their fatnesse and their sweetnes, and their wine, (as the trees speak in the parable) which they might privately, & with ease enjoy as well as we) and then when we have so done, desert them, both in regard of Countenance and Main­tenance, or assistance: This hath been the case of many Mi­nisters in times past, and at the present, the condition of our Honourable Patriots in Parliament: How shamefully have they been deserted (I wish that were all, yea maligned, scof­fed at by Scornfull men, hated, opposed) even by them that chose, and imployed them. If men go on thus to forsake them, and let them fall, for want of Assistance, it is just with God, they should never chuse more, or never live to partake of that common Good, which they desire and endeavour to do for them. As therefore the Apostle spake in a case of a faithfull Minister, so I of all of a publicke spirit, Receive them therefore in the Lord, with all gladnesse, and hold such in reputa­tion, because for the worke of Christ, they were neare unto death, not regarding their owne life, to supply your lacke of service, Phil. 2.29.30. And as Deborah gave her Voluntiers their due and double Honour, so let us doe also; Heare what she sayes, My heart is towards the Governours of Israel, that offered them­selves willingly among the people; Blesse ye the Lord, Judg. 5.9. and so she goes on to name the tribes and persons, casting a [Page 36] secret reproach upon the Newters; and at last come to it a­gaine: Zebulon and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field, verse 18. So say I, my heart is towards the Governours of England, our Parliament Patriots, that offered themselves willingly among the people: Blesse ye the Lord. Blesse ye the Lord that rai­sed up their persons, and their spirits, to stand for the publick Good of Religion, Lawes and Liberties; and to spend their time, their strength, their estates, their credits and honour, and lives for the same: And blessed be they of the Lord, and their posterities after them for ever. My heart is also towards those Noble Commanders and common Souldiers, that have offered themselves willingly among the people, and have jeoparded their lives in the high places of the field, blesse ye the Lord that raised up their spirits to such a pitch of Magnanimity and Resolution, and blessed be they of the Lord; let their lives and names be precious with the Lord, and with the generations to come. Lastly, my heart is to­wards the Honourable City and Citizens, that offered them­selves and their estates willingly among and above all the Cities of the Kingdome, to the almost exhausting of their wealth and treasure, to the publick Good of the whole Land: Blesse ye the Lord, that stirred them up; and blessed be they of the Lord for ever: the Lord recompence it upon them and theirs sevenfold. This is the least we can doe for them, that have bn Instruments of the publick Good: Render to every one their due Honour to whom Honour belongeth, &c.

4. It may be a ground of Exhortation to all, especially to those who are publicke persons,4 Use: Ex­h [...]rt [...]tion to get pu [...]licke sp [...]rits. to study and endeavour the publicke Good, above their owne, with neglect of their owne sometimes; and to this end, to labour for publicke spirits: every man to contribute his abilities of what kinde soever, to be serviceable to the Community. As above in the heavens, every Starre, even the least contributes its light and influence to the world, especially those of greater magni­tude: So let it be on earth, in a Church, in a State, every one cast in something to the publicke Treasury: Some their [Page 37] wisdome and parts: Some their estates: Some their strength: Some their persons and lives; all their prayers.1. Perswaded. For the per­swading of this, consider these things:

1. We cannot (as hath been said) otherwise approve our selves to God, to men, or to our owne consciences,1. This an e­vidence of Goodnesse. that we are Good men, have any true Goodnesse, true Grace, true Religion. A Good man is a publicke Good, both Passively and Actively; is Good, and doth Good: A private spirit is an evidence of a naturall heart. It was not a good speech of the trees in the parable; Shall I leave my fatnesse or my sweetnesse, &c. to be promoted over the trees, to goe up and downe for other trees? we must, if we be trees of Gods Paradise, of Gods planting. He shall be like a tree planted by the waters side, that brings forth his fruit in his season, Psal. 1. All times a reseasonable for a Christians fruit, and so are all places: He hath his fruit in private, but most in publick.

2. This is the end of all our Abilities; 2. It is the end of all abi­lities. Non nobis solum nati, &c. is a Proverbiall speech amongst the very Heathens: we were not borne for our selves, nor live for our selves; our parents challenge a part, our kindred and friends a part, our Country, our Religion, all: We are but Stewards entrusted with our Masters Treasure, to be distributed and layd out for the Good of the familie: We are but Servants or Apprenti­ces, that have nothing properly our owne; we come into the world to serve our generation: It is the Scripture phrase, spoken of a King, King David, [...]. Acts 13.36. When he had served his generation, he fell asleepe. In the great world, all creatures contribute their share to the main­tenance of the Communitie: No creature is made for it selfe, none acts for it selfe, none lives to it selfe but an idle person, and a Newter. The sheepe, and bees, and the rest, pay their tribute to Man, Sic vos non vobis, &c. and the bees in the hives do not fill their cells with hony for their owne private use, but every owne brings in, and layes up, as in a common treasurie; and drones are either killed, or banished from that little Commonwealth: In the body naturall, every member is a publick servant, to the whole Corporation. And shall [Page 38] Christians in the body mysticall, or Citizens in the body politicall, vary from all the rest, and live only to themselves.

3. This is very reasonable: 3. It is very Reasonable. There's none but lives upon the common stocke, none but desires to partake, and share, in the Publick Good, of peace, plenty, liberty, lawes, reli­gion: what reason or equitie, they should expect it, if they contribute nothing to it. Shall all other men, all other crea­turs be made serviceable to them, and they to no body? How can men desire of God with the Psalmist? That they may see the Good of his chosen, that they may rejoice in the gladnesse of his nation, that they may glory with his inheritance, Psal. 106.5. if they have not some way or other lent their assistance to the procuring of it. If they will not suffer with Gods people, is it reason they should raigne, or rejoice with them? Such men may justly feare, that they shall bee blasted by death, or otherwise, that they shall never see the Good of Gods chosen, or not have any comfort in it, though they see it. As the Prophet sayd to that unbeleeving Prince, that doubted the plenty prophesied, as a thing impossible, though God should open the windowes of heaven; Behold (sayes he) thou shalt see it with thine eies, but thou shalt not eate therof: 2. Ki. 7.2. And it was made good upon him, verse 20. For the people trode upon him in the gate and he died. Let that be considered.

4. It is very dangerous to have private Spirits,4. A private Spirit is very danger [...]us. In respect in the publick causes of God, and his people, both, in respect of men, and God: Newters commonly fare worst. First in re­gard of men,1. Of men. they at least fall fowle upon such, both sides sometimes. Experience tells us of some, that for their Neutralitie have been plundered by both sides. See but an instance of this in Scripture, Iudg. 8.15.16.17. How sharply did Gideon revenge himselfe upon the men of Succoth and Penuel: for what? for complying with his enemies? no, but for their Neutralitie, and not affoording him a small as­sistance. He tooke the Princes of Succoth, and the Elders thereof, even threescore and seventeene men, and thornes of the wildernesse, and bryers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth: And he beat downe the towre of Penuel, and slew the men of the City. [Page 39] And I have heard a French storie, of a certaine Prince that in a warre betweene the Emperour, and the French King, complyed secretly with both sides, which being discovered to both, by letters intercepted, they both agreed to fall upon and breake him, before they fell upon one another.

But Secondly, if they escape with men, God2. Of God. will be sure to meete with them worse. That bitter execration of Meroz, is well [...]nough knowne, Iudg. 5.23. Curse ye Meroz, saies the Angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not up to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord against the mightie. And Mordecais message is also well knowne: If thou altogether hold thy peace at this time, delive­rance shall come, but thou and thy Fathers house shall perish.

5. This is very profitable5. This is ve­ry profitable. for a mans selfe; For what e­ver any man ventures in the publick causes of God and Re­ligion, &c. this is the best way, 1. to Secure it, 2. to Repaire it, 3. to Improve it. First, to secure it,1. To Secure. be it credit, estate, life, any thing: we have a promise for this, He that will save his life shall lose it, but he that will lose his life for my sake and the Gospels, shall save it. Say the same of estate, of credit, &c. The way to save it, is to lose it, and the way to lose it, is to save it. Men think, now in these troublesome times, to save their own stake, by sparing from the publick cause: if things fall out ill, they will have something to live on. No, this is the way to lose all, in the losse of the publick. For in reason we see, the safety of every mans cabin in a ship, consists in the safety of the ship, not the safety of the ship in the safety of the cabine; if the ship sinke, what will become of his cabine? Secondly, Suppose a man should lose what he ventures for the pub­licke Good, yet God can easily repaire 2. To Repare. it. Be it estate, or credit, or life it selfe: Our Saviour in the former speech sup­poses a man may lose his life, for his sake and the Gospels; how then can he save it? He meanes he shall not finally lose it, but have it againe repaired and restored. Sometimes a man does but resolve to venture it, or lose it, and God will not let him lose it, but saves it for him. As when Abraham had brought of his heart to offer up his sonne, God would [Page 40] not let him: So here many times, when a man is resolved to venture all he hath, God is pleased to accept of the will for the deed, and to continue it to him; and this is a kind of Reparation: But if he doe actually lose any thing. God is able to make it good to him againe, which men cannot al­waies doe, especially not in matter of life. Thirdly, this is very good policie to improve 3. To Im­prove. our estates, &c. & the readiest way to advance them: We have a promise also for this, if we durst beleeve it; He that shall forsake heuse, or land, or life, &c. shall receive an hundred fold in this life, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Men trade for a great deale lesse pro­fit; eight or ten, or twenty in the hundred, is thought good gaine: but here is a hundred for one; who would not, who should not venture here, if he did beleeve this promise to be true?

6. It is most Comfortable. Dulce & de­corum est pro patria mori.6. Lastly, as it is very Honourable, as we say, in those Instances before mentioned, of Moses, David, Jehojada, Mordecai, Nehemiah, Paul, who stand Renowned upon Record; so it is most Comfortable, in life, in death, when a man can looke back upon that practick Good which he hath done, and hence collect an evidence of his true Grace and reall Goodnesse, he may say with that holy Apostle; This is our re­joycing, even the testimony of our conscience, that in all godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world. 2. Cor. 1.12. And as this is the comfort of his life; so when a man shall come to lye upon his sick bed, or death bed, he may com­fortably plead it with God, as Hezekiah (one of the great Reformers of Religion) did in a like case, Lord remember how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight, Jsai. 38.3. Or as Nehemiah, after all his great undertakings for the publicke Good, Thinke upon mee, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people: Nehe. 5.19. and 13.22.

2. Directed.More might be added, but these may suffice, in way of Mo­tive: I shall only adde a few directions, as meanes to procure a publick Spirit, and then conclude. Take these,

1. The prime and principall is, to be Good men, 1. Be Good m [...]n. Religious, [Page 41] not only in shew, but in truth. Get from God a new heart and a new spirit; the old is a narrow, private, selfish spirit: They that are men of publick spirits, must be spiritually wise men (as the text cals them:) The wisdome of the world is to be wise to a mans selfe, Nemo sapit, qui sibi non sapit, is a proverb of Nature, he is not wise, that is not wise to himselfe: But on­ly the wisdome which is from above, is first pure, then gentle, &c. full of mercy and good fruits, as it is described, Jam. 3.17. Wise men turne away wrath.

2. The next is to be meek and humble men:2. Be me [...]ke men. Wise men in the text are opposed to Scornfull men, who are ever proud men; and we heare of the meeknesse of wisdome, Jam. 3.13. as we noted at the beginning. Now Meeknesse fits a man for doing of publicke Good, and that two wayes: First, it hath a winning and insinuating Nature, to allay wrath and fury, and consequently tumults, contentions, seditions, and the like, which bring a City into a snare, or set it on fire, ac­cording as it is in the Text. For this, Salomon tells us, Prov. 15.1. A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words (of proud and scornfull men) stir up anger. And Prov. 29.15. By long forbearing is a Prince perswaded, and a soft tongue brea­keth the bone. We have an Instance in Gideon, Judg. 8.2, 3. and in the Town-clarke of Ephesus, Act. 19.35. in laying that storme and tumult raised by Demetrius. Secondly, meeknesse makes a man stoop and condiscend from his owne Great­nesse, to the meanest service and imployment for the publick Good. A proud heart as it ever envyes those that are honoured for their publick service, so he scorns to work for the publick Good, unlesse in some high and honourable way: shall such a man as I, so parted, so gifted, so advanced, so enriched, stoop to such and such meane and low imployments? shall I, that am a learned Rabbi of the times, condiscend to teach the ignorant, simple, poore people? leave that to the poore Curate. Shall I that am by birth a merit, ennobled, shall I leave my fatnesse, my sweetnesse to go up and down for other trees? Now a meek spirit, will be content to be any thing,Judg. 9.9. to do any thing, so he may but advance the common Good.

[Page 42]3. Another direction is, to learne well the first Lesson in Christs Schoole, Selfe-deniall: 3. Learn self-deniall. This Self is it that hinders all publick Good. Men are naturally lovers of themselves, [...]; but in these last and worst times more then before, as it is prophesied 1 Tim. 3.2. Lovers of their owne selves, as it is well rendered by our Translators, that is, so lovers of themselves, that they scarce love any body else, not their owne flesh and bloud, their posterity (which yet in some cases they love too well:) As the parents of the blinde man, when there was hazard to acknowledge Christ, fairly gave him leave to an­swer for himselfe, He is of age, aske him, he shall speake for him­selfe. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jewes; for the Jewes had agreed already, that if any man did con­fesse that he was Christ, he should be put out of the Synagogue, John 9.21, 22, 23. Therefore said his parents, he is of age, aske him. Never was there more of this Selfe-love seen, then in these times; when we see, not only brothers unnaturally to fight against brothers, but even children a­gainst parents, and which is most of all unnaturall, even pa­rents against children: The Apostle joynes those two toge­ther, [...]; Lovers of themselves without naturall affection, in the place afore mentioned. Till this Selfe, this Selfe-love be denyed, men cannot goe, or looke beyond themselves.

4. Lastly, to adde no more, get your hearts filled with the love of God, and of his people:4. L [...]ve God and his people Love is liberall and bounti­full, Charity suffereth long, and is kinde; charity envyeth not; charity vaunteth not it selfe, is not puft up, doth not behave it selfe unseemly, seeketh not her owne (marke that) is not easily provo­ked, endureth all things, 1 Cor. 13.4, 5, 6. Yea Love will make a man not to thinke his life deare for the publicke Good: Greater love than this hath no man, than to lay downe his life for his friend, John 15.13. And therefore the Apostle having said, If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another, 1 John. 4.11. he shewes how far this love will carry us, cap. 3.16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid downe his life for us, and we ought to lay downe our lives for the brethren. We are [Page 43] now at the highest degree of Love, and the greatest act of a publicke spirit, to venture his life for the publick Good; Grea­ter love then this hath no man, no man can shew greater Goodnesse then this: Here therefore I stay. Consider what I have said, and the Lord give you understanding and pra­ctise in all things. Amen.